What does osteotomy mean?
An osteotomy is a surgical operation in which a bone is deliberately cut or divided. It may be used to correct a deformity, alter the alignment of a limb, treat certain joint problems, or provide access for another surgical procedure. In procedures such as a high tibial osteotomy, a precisely planned cut allows a surgeon to reposition part of the leg and change how weight is carried through a damaged knee joint. The term can also refer to the cut itself when discussing an operation or a medical image. Osteotomy is distinct from a fracture: the division is controlled and planned, whereas a fracture is an unintended break. The word is used chiefly in medicine, orthopaedics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. Its name reflects its straightforward function: it combines the Greek term for bone with a suffix meaning a cutting.
nounThe surgical cutting or division of a bone, often performed to correct a deformity, reposition a joint, or facilitate another operation. The term may also refer to the resulting cut through the bone.
- A surgical operation involving the cutting or division of bone.
- A deliberate cut or section through a bone.
"The surgeon performed an osteotomy to straighten the patient's misaligned leg."
"A high tibial osteotomy was used to redistribute weight across the damaged knee joint."
"The radiograph shows the site of the osteotomy where the bone was deliberately divided."
The standard plural of osteotomy.
"The surgeon reviewed the postoperative images of both osteotomies."
Osteotomy literally means “bone cutting” and can transform a misaligned limb by creating a controlled break through bone.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does osteotomy come from?
Osteotomy was formed in the early 19th century from Greek osteon, meaning “bone,” and -tomy, from Greek tome, meaning “a cutting.” The Greek roots also underlie related terms such as osteology and osteopathy. Its development followed the medical adoption of deliberate operative division and repositioning of bones.
Related word forms
How osteotomy is actually used
This is primarily a medical and surgical term. It is more general than a procedure intended to reposition bone, since osteotomy can also describe the division of a bone during other operations, including amputation.
Easily confused with osteotomy
An osteotomy is an operation involving a deliberate cut through bone, whereas osteopathy is a system of healthcare based primarily on manual manipulation of the body's tissues and joints.
An osteotomy is the surgical division of a bone, while an osteotome is the surgical instrument used to make that division.