Osteoarthritis is a degenerative form of arthritis, where the cartilage that covers the bone wears away over time. This causes the joints to lose the range of motion and can be extremely painful. This condition can occur in any joint of the body, but it is most common in major weight bearing joints. The hips, knee, hand, and cervical and lumbar spine are most vulnerable to cartilage wear.

Surgical osteoarthritis treatment is one way of addressing this condition. It has three ways: arthroscopy, osteotomy, and arthroplasty. Arthroscopy is where the surgeon makes a small incision in the skin and places a small tube and uses it to examine the joint and perform procedures like repairing ligaments. In Osteotomy, the surgeon will remove some parts of the bone in a joint to realign it. Arthroplasty is where the surgeon replaces the joint with an artificial one.