Johnson, Jeffrey E.

AbstractBackgroundNeuropathic deformities impair foot and ankle joint mobility, often leading to abnormal stresses and impact forces. The purpose of our study was to determine differences in radiographic measures of hind foot alignment and ankle joint and subtalar joint motion in participants with and without neuropathic midfoot deformities and to determine the relationships between radiographic measures of hind foot alignment to ankle and subtalar joint motion in participants with and without neuropathic midfoot deformities.MethodsSixty participants were studied in three groups. Forty participants had diabetes mellitus (DM) and peripheral neuropathy (PN) with 20 participants having neuropathic midfoot deformity due to Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN), while 20 participants did not have deformity. Participants with diabetes and neuropathy with and without deformity were compared to 20 young control participants without DM, PN or deformity. Talar declination and calcaneal inclination angles were assessed on lateral view weight bearing radiograph. Ankle dorsiflexion, plantar flexion and subtalar inversion and eversion were assessed by goniometry.ResultsTalar declination angle averaged 34±9, 26±4 and 23±3 degrees in participants with deformity, without deformity and young control participants, respectively (p< 0.010). Calcaneal inclination angle averaged 11±10, 18±9 and 21±4 degrees, respectively (p< 0.010). Ankle plantar flexion motion averaged 23±11, 38±10 and 47±7 degrees (p<0.010). The association between talar declination and calcaneal inclination angles with ankle plantar flexion range of motion is strongest in participants with neuropathic midfoot deformity. Participants with talonavicular and calcaneocuboid dislocations result in the most severe restrictions in ankle joint plantar flexion and subtalar joint inversion motions.ConclusionsAn increasing talar declination angle and decreasing calcaneal inclination angle is associated with decreases in ankle joint plantar flexion motion in individuals with neuropathic midfoot deformity due to CN that may contribute to excessive stresses and ultimately plantar ulceration of the midfoot.

A late complication of fracture with dislocation involving the tarsometatarsal joints of the foot (Lisfranc fracture) is progressive degenerative arthritis and pain. A dowel-graft arthrodesis technique is described that uses percutaneous bone graft from the iliac crest supplemented by crossed-wire fixation. The cases of 15 patients who underwent surgery between 1979 and 1982 in which this technique was used were reviewed retrospectively. These patients suffered from painful posttraumatic degenerative arthritis after tarsometatarsal joint fracture-dislocation. Follow-up evaluation (mean, 37 months) of 13 of the 15 patients demonstrated satisfactory pain relief in 11 patients, whereas 2 were dissatisfied. Complications included three instances of nonunion and one postsurgical reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome.