Percutaneous Oblique Distal Osteotomy of the Fifth Metatarsal for Bunionette Correction: A Prospective Cohort Study

CATEGORY: Lesser Toes; Midfoot/Forefoot INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: Bunionette is a very common foot disorder, and several kinds of corrective surgery have been described. With the popularization of minimally invasive surgeries, the forefoot region became a suitable area for this kind of technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of oblique distal osteotomy of the fifth metatarsal adapted for the percutaneous approach. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 31 consecutive tailor’s bunion patients who underwent surgical correction after failure of conservative treatment between 2016 and 2019, totaling 42 feet. Clinical outcomes such as pain (VAS), function (AOFAS), criteria of personal satisfaction, and complications were evaluated. Radiographic aspects were also included. The Shapiro and Mann- Whitney statistical tests were run in the Stats package within the R environment. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 69.54 years, and the average follow-up was 13.14 months. There was a decrease of 6.67 points in the VAS for pain (p<0.001) and an increase of 34.94 in AOFAS (p<0.001) after the surgical procedure. Radiographic correction was achieved at both the fifth metatarsophalangeal angle (p<0.001) and intermetatarsal angle (p<0.001), which showed decreased values. There was one case of superficial infection and two cases of nonconsolidation (asymptomatic). A large majority of patients considered the procedure outcome satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The percutaneous oblique distal osteotomy of the fifth metatarsal for bunionette deformity showed improvement in pain and function and a high rate of personal satisfaction with a low incidence of complications and high capacity to correct the deformity.