Opening wedge

Written by Dr Sheila Strover on March 14, 2025

An opening wedge describes a type of knee osteotomy for correcting limb alignment.

X-ray image to check the new gap.
X-ray during surgery to allow the surgeon to control the bone gap by adjusting the laminar spreaders
Illustration of plate and screws positioned to maintain the new bone alignment.
Securing the new position of the bone with plate and screws.

Securing the new bone position

Laminar spreaders open the wedge of a high tibial osteotomy, and then the bone is held in the new position with a plate and screws until new bone fills the gap.

Strong metal or carbon fibre plates and screws are used fix the bones in the new position, until new bone heals the defect, after which time the surgeon and patient may elect to remove the plate.

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Courses -

Prof Adrian Wilson - Realignment osteotomy for knee pain

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