title: The concept of ankle joint preserving surgery: why does supramalleolar osteotomy work and how to decide when to do an osteotomy or joint replacement.
abstract: The structure of the ankle is stabilized by bone, and external force is distributed to the adjacent intertarsal joints, reducing the vulnerability of the joint to osteoarthritis. Joint-preserving surgical techniques include arthroscopic debridement, ligament reconstruction, distraction arthroplasty, and osteotomy. Supramalleolar osteotomy to treat varus-type osteoarthritis of the ankle is also known as "low tibial osteotomy," as opposed to "high tibial osteotomy" to treat varus-type osteoarthritis of the knee.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, Kashihara, Nara 634-8522, Japan. yatanaka@naramed-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D058737:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Ankle; D006801:Humans; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy; D011859:Radiography