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Avascular necrosis after osteotomy of the talar neck to correct residual club-foot deformity in children

A LONG-TERM REVIEW

Hôpital Orthopédique de la Suisse Romande, University of Lausanne, Avenue Pierre-Decker 4, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Correspondence should be sent to Dr H. Huber at Horizon 19, CH-2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

In order to determine the incidence of avascular necrosis after osteotomy of the talar neck, we re-evaluated 11 patients (16 feet) with idiopathic club foot who had undergone this procedure at a mean age of eight years (5 to 13) to correct a residual adduction deformity. All had been initially treated conservatively and operatively. The mean follow-up was 39 years (36 to 41). Surgery consisted of a closing-wedge osteotomy of the talar neck combined, in 14 feet, with lengthening of the first cuneiform and a Steindler procedure.

At follow-up eight feet were free from pain, three had occasional mild pain and five were regularly painful after routine activities. Two patients were unlimited in their activity, six occasionally limited after strenuous and three regularly limited after strenuous activity. Using the Ponseti score, the feet were rated as good in four, fair in three and poor in nine. In seven feet avascular necrosis with collapse and flattening of the talar dome had occurred. In all of these feet the children were younger than ten years of age at the time of surgery. In three feet, avascular necrosis of the talar head was also observed.

We conclude that osteotomy of the talar neck in children under the age of ten years can cause avascular necrosis and should be abandoned.

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