Functional outcome and patient satisfaction after flexor tenotomy for plantar ulcers of the toes.

Abstract

Ulcers of the toes may cause a severe physical burden, especially in patients with diabetes, in whom they occur most frequently. Several treatments have been proposed for the underlying anatomical abnormalities, but they vary in effectiveness. We evaluated our results in using flexor tenotomy to treat ulcers with underlying flexible clawing of the toes. For 42 toes from 23 patients, 15 of whom were diabetic, all ulcers healed. The mean healing time was 4 weeks (range, 1-8 weeks), the mean follow-up was 11 months (range, 1-27 months), and one recurrence and one complication occurred. Postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot Ankle Society Midfoot scores were available for 15 patients: the mean was 77 (range, 43-100). The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) for patient satisfaction increased from 3.9 points (range, 0-10 points) preoperatively to 7.7 (range, 5-10 points) postoperatively. Flexor tenotomy is a simple treatment with low complications and recurrence rates and provides good-to-excellent functional outcomes in treating flexible clawing of the toes and the associated ulceration.

• Authors: Tim Schepers, Heleen A Berendsen, I Hok Oei, Jan Koning
• Journal: The Journal of foot and ankle surgery : official publication of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (J Foot Ankle Surg) 2010 Mar-Apr Vol. 49 Issue 2 Pg. 119-22 ISSN: 1542-2224 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 20137983 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright 2010 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Female
• Foot Ulcer (etiology, surgery)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Patient Satisfaction
• Tendons (surgery)
• Toes (surgery)
• Treatment Outcome