# EVALUATION OF ARTHROGRYPOTIC FOOT TREATMENT: MINIMUM 10 YEARS FOLLOW-UP

## TL;DR

This study evaluates long-term outcomes of surgical treatments for arthrogrypotic feet, showing that while surgeries improve quality of life, stiffness and deformities often persist.

## Contribution

The study provides a long-term follow-up (minimum 10 years) of surgical treatments for arthrogryposis, highlighting persistent challenges and outcomes.

## Key findings

- Most patients did not experience disabling pain and reported good health and future expectations.
- Residual deformities and stiffness were common despite extensive surgical interventions.
- Over 70% of feet underwent talectomy, often as the first procedure.

## Abstract

To evaluate patients with arthrogryposis submitted to extensive surgical treatment with a minimum of 10 years of follow-up regarding the clinical and radiological aspects and the quality of life, using the 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) and the Disease-Specific Instrument (DSI).

A retrospective study selected 33 patients, totaling 64 operated feet.

The mean age of the patients was 17.9 years (12-39 years), and the mean follow-up time was 14.8 years (11-17). Amyoplasia represented 78.7% of syndromic diagnoses. Isolated posteromedial lateral release (PMLR) was performed in 21.8% of the feet, 27.2% of which required additional bone surgery, and about 50 feet (78.1%) were submitted to PMLR, lateral column shortening, and/or talectomy. In total, 46 talectomies were performed (71.8% of the feet), out of which 44 were the first procedure of choice. SF-36 questionnaire was evaluated and showed that 93.9% of the patients did not have restrictive and disabling pain, and the same percentage considered themselves as healthy and had good expectations for the future.

Arthrogrypotic feet are difficult to treat, require many recurrent surgical procedures, and relapses are the rule. Stiffness is a common feature of these feet, and residual deformities were frequent.
Level of Evidence IV; Case Series, Therapeutic Studies.