Limited Intertarsal Arthrodesis Using Bone Grafting and Pin Fixation

Iliac crest bone grafting and K wire fixation was used to fuse the arthritic intertarsal articulations of sixteen patients with post-traumatic or primary degenerative disease. Using pre-and post-operative AOFAS scores, foot function indices (FFI), and a subjective scoring system, functional and subjective outcome was critically evaluated. The AOFAS score improved an average of 41 points, the FFI decreased from 64 to 24, and 81 percent of patients rated their results as good or excellent. Fusion of the 4th and 5th TMT joints was associated with significantly poorer functional scores, and people with worker's compensation claims had poorer subjective scores. The authors demonstrated comparable results to previously published series using other methods of fixation.