Radiographic outcomes of adult acquired flatfoot corrected by medial column arthrodesis with or without a medializing calcaneal osteotomy

Medial column arthrodesis and calcaneal osteotomies are commonly used for adult acquired flatfoot surgical reconstruction. In this retrospective study, 41 patients (47 feet) with a mean age of 55 ± 13.5 years underwent a medial column arthrodesis, with or without calcaneal osteotomy, between 1999 and 2007. The indication for surgery was a painful flatfoot deformity with peritalar subluxation, and a fault in the naviculocuneiform joint. At a mean of 9.6 (range 3-43) months postoperatively, in patients who underwent a medial column arthrodesis, radiographs showed a mean decrease in the talonavicular coverage angle of 10.2° ± 8.7° (P < .001), and mean increases in the lateral talometatarsal and calcaneal inclination angle of 10.7° ± 5.1° (P < .001) and of 3.2° ± 2.7° (P < .001), respectively. In patients who underwent a combined medial column arthrodesis and a medializing calcaneal osteotomy, the talonavicular coverage angle decreased by a mean of 12.1° ± 6.1° (P < .001), while the lateral talometatarsal angle and calcaneal inclination angle increased by a mean of 12.3° ± 6.1° (P < .001) and 3.1° ± 2.7° (P < .001), respectively, from preoperative values. Four nonunions (4 of 47, 8.51%) occurred at the naviculocuneiform joint and 1 nonunion (1 of 32, 3.13%) occurred at the tarsometatarsal joint. These findings demonstrate marked improvement of radiographic flatfoot parameters following a medial column arthrodesis with or without a medializing calcaneal osteotomy.