Level I, prospective comparative outcome study.

In a group of 160 patients who had hindfoot fusions (isolated subtalar, talonavicular, and calcaneocuboid fusions and double and triple arthrodeses), smokers had a significantly higher rate of nonunion than did nonsmokers (18.6% vs. 7.1%). The relative risk of developing a nonunion was 2.7 times higher for smokers than non-smokers. With the numbers available, there was a trend for patients who had quit smoking prior to surgery to have a higher rate of nonunion (11.1%) than patients who had never smoked, but not as high as those who continued to smoke. There was no statistical difference in the rate of infection or delayed wound healing among the groups.

No abstract

Level III, comparative series.

This retrospective review identified location in the second webspace as a possible prognostic indicator of poor outcome, but the more important finding may be that outcomes of neuroma excision do not appear to be as successful at long-term followup as previously reported.

No abstract

Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Level III: Retrospective comparative study.