Analysis of the results of the surgical treatment of plano-valgus foot deformity in children and adolescent

Abstract

Background: Plano-valgus deformity of the feet is a common reason for contacting an orthopedist. Pediatric orthopedics uses technologies, in particular, subtalar arthroeresis, that do not violate the physiological growth of the patient. Aim: to choose the optimal methods for the correction of foot deformity in children and adolescents. Analysis of the results of the surgical treatment. Methods: In the period from 2013 to 2022, 482 patients were operated on for flat-foot deformity. Subtalar arthroeresis surgery was performed in 405 cases in various combinations. Results: The 9-year-long observation of the patients after the surgical treatment showed that in most cases there was a persistent positive effect, namely: no complaints of pain syndrome, no clinical and radiological pictures of a plano-valgus foot, patients led an active lifestyle, including sports. On average, after 17.7 months, 66 cases (16.1%) required replacement of the subtalar implant due to the physiological growth of patients. In 125 cases (31.2%) the implant was removed on average 31.2 months after placement. Unsatisfactory results were noted in 14 patients (3.4%). Conclusions: The technique of subtalar arthroeresis, as a low-traumatic one, does not interfere with the physiological growth of the foot skeleton, does not limit physiological loads after the surgical treatment, and is actively used in the childhood and adolescence. The peculiarity of the subtalar arthroeresis in a patient with the physiological growth of the foot skeleton is a high probability of the subtalar implant replacement.

Keywords

• plano-valgus foot deformation
• subtalar arthroereisis
• surgical correction
• children
• a subtalar implant