Long-term Outcomes of Coalition Resection in Adult Tarsal Coalition

CATEGORY: Hindfoot; Other INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Although the diagnosis, treatment, and natural history of tarsal coalitions has been well described in the adolescent population, there remains a paucity of orthopaedic literature on outcomes associated with coalition resection with or without interposition in the adult population. This study is the first to evaluate clinical and radiographic outcomes in adult patients with tarsal coalition resection without interposition. METHODS: All patients with symptomatic tarsal coalition (subtalar, calcaneonavicular, or talonavicular) who failed conservative management and underwent coalition resection with concomitant procedures as indicated by their pathology between January 2006 and December 2014 were included in our retrospective case series. Demographics, clinical outcomes, patient comorbidity information, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores were collected. Advanced imaging (CT or MRI) was reviewed to determine fibrocartilaginous or osseous coalition. The primary outcome was reoperation. Secondary outcomes were change in visual analog score (VAS), and minor complications (local wound care, use of antibiotics, and skin dehiscence). RESULTS: 68 patients (52.9% males, 47.1% females; average age 35.9 years old, range 18 to 70) met inclusion. Calcaneonavicular, subtalar, and talonavicular coalitions were resected in 45.6% (n=31), 54.4% (n=37), and 0% of patients, respectively. At average final clinical follow up of 36 months, there were a total of 33 reoperations in 33.8% of patients (n=23) most commonly including subsequent fusion (n=11), exostectomy (n=10), and removal of hardware (n=15). There was no significant difference in reoperation (42.3% versus 63.1%, p=0.454) or fusion (19.4% versus 19.2%, p=0.99) following subtalar or calcaneonavicular coalition resection. Average VAS score preoperatively and postoperatively was 5.8 to 3.0. Minor complications were present in 16.2% of patients (n=11; 3 local wound care, 10 use of antibiotics, and 0 skin dehiscence). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates overall improvement in VAS score by an average of 2.8 points following subtalar and calcaneonavicular coalition resection. Although 33.8% of patients may anticipate additional surgery, the majority of patients may expect long-term maintenance of improvement in pain without subsequent fusion.