Operative correction of arch collapse with forefoot deformity: a retrospective analysis of outcomes.

BACKGROUND: There are many forefoot deformities, including hallux valgus, forefoot overload, and hammertoe that are treated as unrelated problems with multiple different techniques. Currently, there has been renewed interest in the role of a gastrocnemius contracture on foot deformities. Our objective was to review a specific surgical treatment plan for forefoot deformities classified by us as Type 2 arch collapse and evaluate the outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 374 patients who underwent foot procedures to treat deformity classified as a Type 2 arch collapse. Data was collected regarding complications and need for secondary surgery. A phone survey was performed to assess patient satisfaction, pain level, and Foot Function Index (FFI) scores. RESULTS: Of the 374 patients (412 feet), there was a 96% (357 of 371 feet) union rate at the first tarsometatarsal joint and 98% (227 of 232 feet) union rate at metatarsal shortening osteotomy sites. Recurrence of hallux valgus was 2.7% (7 of 256 feet), while hallux varus occurred in 1.6% (4 of 256 feet). There were 292 patients (78%) available for phone interview. Of those patients, 88% were satisfied with the results of the procedure. The subset of procedures relating to the highest mean FFI was hammertoe correction (22.2) and the highest mean pain score was related to metatarsal shortening osteotomy (2.6). CONCLUSION: Utilizing the arch collapse model, operative treatment of forefoot deformities with a combination of procedures including gastrocnemius recession, first TMT fusion, modified McBride, hammertoe correction, and metatarsal shortening osteotomy can produce good satisfaction rates with low complication rates.

Knee alignment does not predict incident osteoarthritis: the Framingham osteoarthritis study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship of knee malalignment to the occurrence of knee osteoarthritis (OA) among subjects without radiographic OA at baseline to determine whether malalignment is a risk factor for incident disease or simply a marker of increasing disease severity. METHODS: We selected 110 incident tibiofemoral (TF) OA case knees (76 subjects) and 356 random control knees (178 subjects) from among participants in the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study. Case knees did not have OA at baseline (1992-1994 examination) but had developed OA (Kellgren/Lawrence grade>or=2) at followup (2002-2005 examination) (mean of 8.75 years between examinations). Control knees did not have OA at baseline. Standardized digital radiographs of the fully extended knee with weight-bearing were read using a standard protocol and eFilm viewing software. We measured the anatomic axis, the condylar angle, the tibial plateau angle, and the condylar tibial plateau angle. The interobserver intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ranged from 0.93 to 0.96 and the intraobserver ICC from 0.94 to 0.97. In a knee-specific analysis, we examined the relationship of each alignment measurement to the risk of TF OA using generalized estimating equations, adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). We used the same approach to assess the association between each alignment measurement and the risk of medial TF OA. RESULTS: Subjects in the case population were older and had a higher BMI than the controls. The alignment values were normally distributed and were not different between the cases and the controls. After adjustment for age, sex and BMI, there was no significant increase in incident OA in the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile category for any of the alignment measures (P for trend for anatomic axis and condylar tibial plateau angle was 0.83 and 0.80, respectively). Similar results were also observed for medial compartment OA. CONCLUSION: We found that baseline knee alignment is not associated with either incident radiographic TF OA or medial TF OA. These results suggest that malalignment is not a risk factor for OA, but rather is a marker of disease severity and/or its progression.