The annual incidence of LE and rate of surgical intervention have remained constant from 2007 to 2014. The proportion of patients over >65 years diagnosed with, and receiving surgical treatment for, LE has significantly increased in recent years. Total reimbursement and average per-patient reimbursement have steadily risen, demonstrating the increasing burden of cost on the health-care system.
Background No studies investigating the effect of midfoot (talonavicular joint) position on clinical outcomes following flatfoot reconstruction have been performed. The purpose of our study was to determine whether a postoperative abducted or adducted forefoot alignment, as determined from AP radiographs, was associated with a difference in outcomes using the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Methods Midfoot abduction was defined on postoperative AP radiographs, evaluated at a mean of 1.9 years in 55 patients from the authors’ institution that underwent flatfoot reconstruction for stage II adult acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD), as a lateral incongruency angle greater than 5 degrees, a talonavicular uncoverage angle greater than 8 degrees, and a talo-first metatarsal angle greater than 8 degrees based on previously reported measurements. Patients with two or more measurements in the abduction category were classified as the abduction group (n=30); those with one or fewer measurements in the abduction category were placed in the adduction group (n=25). Preoperative FAOS and postoperative FAOS with a mean follow-up of 3.1 years were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Results Patients corrected to a position of adduction showed a significantly lower improvement in the FAOS daily activities (p=0.012) and quality of life subscales (p=0.046). Mean improvement in subscale score for the adducted group was lower for pain (p=0.052) and sports activities (p=0.085) but did not reach statistical significance. No significant difference in the FAOS symptoms subscale (p=0.372) between groups was found. Conclusions Correction of the talonavicular joint to a position of adduction following stage II AAFD is associated with decreased patient outcomes in daily activities and quality of life compared with an abducted position. These results suggest that overcorrection to a position of midfoot adduction leads to a lesser amount of individual patient improvement in the reconstruction of stage II AAFD. Level of Evidence Therapeutic Level III
Background: Hallux valgus (HV) is a triplanar deformity of the first ray including pronation of the first metatarsal with subluxation of the sesamoids. The purpose of this study was to investigate if a first tarsometatarsal fusion (modified Lapidus technique), without preoperative knowledge of pronation measured on weightbearing computed tomographic (CT) scans, changed pronation of the first metatarsal and determine if reduction of the sesamoids was correlated with changes in first metatarsal pronation. Methods: Thirty-one feet in 31 patients with HV who underwent a modified Lapidus procedure had preoperative and at least 5-month postoperative weightbearing CT scans and radiographs. Differences in preoperative and postoperative pronation of the first metatarsal using a 3-dimensional computer-aided design, HV angle, and intermetatarsal angle (IMA) were calculated using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. After dividing patients into groups based on sesamoid station, Kruskal-Wallis H tests were used to compare first metatarsal pronation between the groups. Results: The mean preoperative and postoperative pronation of the first metatarsal was 29.0 degrees (range 15.8-51.1, SD 8.7) and 20.2 degrees (range 10.4-32.6, SD 5.4), respectively, which was a mean change in pronation of the first ray of −8.8 degrees ( P < .001). There was no difference in pronation of the first ray when stratified by postoperative sesamoid position ( P > .250). The average preoperative and postoperative IMA was 16.7 degrees (SD 3.2) and 8.8 degrees (SD 2.8), which demonstrated a significant change ( P < .001). Conclusions: The modified Lapidus procedure was an effective tool to change pronation of the first ray. Reduction of the sesamoids was not associated with postoperative first metatarsal pronation. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series.
Weight-bearing CT (WBCT) scans of the foot and ankle have improved the understanding of deformities that are not easily identified on radiographs and are increasingly being used by orthopaedic surgeons for diagnostic and preoperative planning purposes. In contrast to standard CT scans, WBCT scans better demonstrate the true orientation of the bones and joints during loading. They have been especially useful in investigating the alignment of complex pathologies such as adult-acquired flatfoot deformity in which patients have been found to have a more valgus subtalar joint alignment than in a normal cohort and high rates of subfibular impingement. Studies using WBCT scans have also provided new insight into more common lower extremity conditions such as hallux valgus, ankle fractures, and lateral ankle instability. WBCT scans have allowed researchers to investigate pronation of the first metatarsal in patients with hallux valgus compared with normal feet, and patients with lateral ankle instability have been found to have more heel varus than healthy control subjects. Understanding the application of WBCT scans to clinical practice is becoming more important as surgeons strive for improved outcomes in the treatment of complicated foot and ankle disorders.
Background While previous work has demonstrated a linear relationship between the amount of medializing calcaneal osteotomy (MCO) and the change in radiographic hindfoot alignment following reconstruction, an ideal postoperative hindfoot alignment has yet to be reported. The aim of this study was to identify an optimal postoperative hindfoot alignment by correlating radiographic alignment with patient outcomes. Methods Fifty-five feet in 55 patients underwent flatfoot reconstruction for stage II AAFD by two fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons. Hindfoot alignment was determined as previously described by Saltzman and El-Khoury. Changes in pre- and postoperative scores in each FAOS subscale were calculated for patients in postoperative hindfoot valgus (≥0 mm valgus, n=18), mild varus (>0 to 5 mm varus, n=17), and moderate varus (>5 mm varus, n=20). Analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey’s tests were used to compare the change in FAOS scores between these three groups. Results At 22 months or more postoperatively, patients corrected to mild hindfoot varus showed a significantly greater improvement in the FAOS pain subscale compared to patients in valgus (p=0.04) and symptoms subscale compared to patients in moderate varus (p=0.03). Although mild hindfoot varus did not differ significantly from moderate varus or valgus in the other subscales, mild hindfoot varus did not perform worse than these alignments in any FAOS subscale. No statistically significant correlations between intraoperative MCO slide distances and FAOS subscales were found. Conclusions Our study indicates that correction of hindfoot alignment to between 0 and 5 mm of varus on the hindfoot alignment view (clinically a straight heel) following stage II flatfoot reconstruction was associated with the greatest improvement in clinical outcomes following hindfoot reconstruction in stage II AAFD.
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