Osteotomy

A surgical operation whereby a bone is cut to shorten, lengthen, or change its alignment. Osteotomy is one method to relieve the pain of arthritis, especially of the hip and knee, though joint replacement is more common.

The term "osteotomy" is also used to describe the way the Hirogen harvest their prey: they remove the skeletal system, muscles, internal organs, ligaments and tendons.