What Is Hemicallotasis And When Is It Used To Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis Or Pain Resulting From Osteoarthritis?

— -- Question: What is hemicallotasis and when is it used to treat rheumatoid arthritis or pain resulting from osteoarthritis?

Answer: Hemicallotasis is a form or variety of osteotomy. Osteotomy is a means by which to realign a joint. Realignment of a joint decreases the forces or weight seen on one portion of the joint and increases the weight seen on the other portion of the joint. This assumes that one portion of the joint is normal and the other is abnormal. Unfortunately, in patients that have rheumatoid arthritis, the entire joint -- specifically, the knee joint --is affected.

Therefore, shifting the weight of the body to another portion of the knee joint is most likely not going to be effective in the long term. Because, since the entire joint is affected, this shift in body weight will eventually shift the body weight to a portion of the joint that will be affected by the rheumatoid disease and therefore the patient will not get the pain relief that they want. In short I do not feel that hemicallotasis is an appropriate procedure for patients that have rheumatoid arthritis.

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