1.Evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of Scarf osteotomy in treating metatarsal varus type adolescent hallux valgus
Yinze QI ; Guangjun TANG ; Xinyu LI ; Fangyuan WEI
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedics 2024;44(5):302-307
Objective:To investigate the efficacy of the Scarf osteotomy in treating adolescents with metatarsus adductus-type hallux valgus.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 20 patients (30 feet) treated with the Scarf osteotomy for metatarsus adductus-type hallux valgus at the Department of Hand and Foot Surgery, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine Third Affiliated Hospital, from July 2022 to August 2023. This group included 10 patients with bilateral conditions and 10 with unilateral, comprising 4 males and 16 females, with an average of 16.2±2.4 years (range, 14-19 years). The procedure involved the release of the lateral capsule, sesamoid ligaments, and adductor hallucis before osteotomy. After osteotomy, shortening and wedge resection were performed, along with translation and rotation of the distal osteotomy to reposition the first metatarsal beside the second and thereby reduce metatarsus adductus. The outcomes included preoperative, immediate postoperative, and final follow-up angles: hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), metatarsal adduction angle (MAA), and the angle between the second to fifth metatarsals.Results:All 20 patients successfully underwent surgery with good wound healing and no infections; the average clinical healing time of osteotomy site was 5.1±0.7 weeks (range, 4.1-6.6 weeks). Follow-up lasted for 12.0±5.4 months (range, 2-18 months). Significant differences were observed in HVA, which was from 35.40°±5.45° preoperatively to 6.93°±3.60° immediately postoperatively, and 9.83°±2.65° at final follow-up; IMA, which was from 11.50°(9.75°, 14.00°) preoperatively to 1.50°(0.00°, 2.00°) immediately postoperatively, and at final follow-up; MAA, which was from 22.80°±2.60° preoperatively to 20.63°±2.27° immediately postoperatively, and 20.67°±2.20° at final follow-up; the angle between the second to fifth metatarsals,which was from 19.03°±1.85° preoperatively to 15.37°±1.33° immediately postoperatively, and 16.03°±1.73° at final follow-up. Visual analogue scale (VAS) also significantly decreased from 2.60±1.64 preoperatively to 1.30±0.92 at 6-8 weeks postoperatively. No cases of transfer metatarsalgia or recurrence of hallux valgus were reported.Conclusion:The Scarf osteotomy for metatarsus adductus-type hallux valgus effectively corrects the first metatarsal adduction and improves the adduction state of the remaining metatarsals to various degrees.