Paget's Disease of Bone

Surgery

Joint replacements are the most common surgeries doctors use to treat joint complications from Paget's disease such as osteoarthritis of the hip or knee joints. If a joint has been damaged by this disease and is causing pain, your doctor may recommend a joint replacement (depending on the affected joint).

Osteotomy removes a wedge of bone to help reshape the remaining bone. An osteotomy for the hip or knee is another bone surgery that may help delay a joint replacement, but it is usually only a good choice for a younger person.

For more information on joint replacement surgery, see:

• Hip replacement surgery.
• Knee replacement surgery.

Occasionally, doctors may do surgery to take pressure off a nerve (such as a nerve pinched by extra bone forming in the spine) or to correct deformed bone (such as bowed legs).

If you have Paget's disease and are going to have bone or joint surgery, you may need medicine for a period of time before surgery to slow the breakdown of bone tissue and decrease the risk of bleeding during surgery.

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Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH Maureen Shea	Last Updated: November 8, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Matthew I. Kim, MD - Endocrinology & Metabolism Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
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