Mid-term outcome of talocalcaneal coalition treated with interposition of a pedicle fatty flap after resection.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported a new technique to treat symptomatic talocalcaneal coalition. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the mid-term outcome of the interposition of a pedicle fatty flap after the resection of a talocalcaneal coalition.

METHODS: Six feet of 5 patients with persistently symptomatic talocalcaneal coalition were treated with this method. We investigated the clinical outcome using the visual analog scale (VAS) for hindfoot pain including around coalition and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score pre- and postoperatively, and investigated whether or not recurrence was present using computed tomography (CT) at the final followup.

RESULTS: The VAS score was significantly improved from 5.5 +/- 1.0 (mean +/- SD) to 9.7 +/- 0.5 points (p = 0.0006). The AOFAS hindfoot score was also improved significantly (from 73.3 +/- 26.7 points to 96.7 +/- 7.1 points). No recurrence was detected by CT at the final followup.

CONCLUSION: The interposition of a pedicle fatty flap after resection has been a durable procedure for treating a symptomatic talocalcaneal coalition.