Topic Overview

An osteotomy is a surgery that involves cutting the bone. When a patellar tracking disorder is caused by a structural or alignment problem, an osteotomy can be an effective treatment option.

See an illustration of the knee.

A tibial tubercle osteotomy moves and reinserts the patellar tendon into the shinbone (tibia). This procedure is commonly performed for one or a combination of conditions in which:

• A patella slips sideways (laterally), out of its vertical track. This is known as lateral patellar malalignment.
• An excessively long patellar tendon allows the patella to slide too high on the knee joint (patella alta).

A tibial tubercle osteotomy is often combined with a lateral release.