Scarf osteotomy for hallux valgus: A PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL AND PEDOBAROGRAPHIC STUDY

Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery,  Aug 2004  by Jones, S,  Hussainy, H A Al,  Ali, F,  Betts, R P,  Flowers, M J

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We prospectively reviewed 24 patients (35 feet) who had been treated by a Scarf osteotomy and Akin closing-wedge osteotomy for hallux valgus between June 2000 and June 2002. There were three men and 21 women with a mean age of 46 years at the time of surgery. The mean follow-up time was 20 months.

Our results showed that 50% of the patients were very satisfied, 42% were satisfied, and 8% were not satisfied. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score improved significantly from 52 points pre-operatively to 89 at follow-up (p

The intermetatarsal and hallux valgus angles improved from the mean pre-operative values of 15° and 33° to 9° and 14°, respectively. These improvements were significant (p

There was no significant change in the mean pedobarographic measurements of the first and second metatarsals after surgery (p = 0.2). The mean pedobarographic measurements of the first and second metatarsals at more than one year after surgery were within the normal range.

Two patients had wound infections which settled after the administration of antibiotics. One patient had an intra-operative fracture of the first metatarsal and one required further surgery to remove a long distal screw which was irritating the medial sesamoids.

We conclude that the Scarf osteotomy combined with the Akin closing-wedge osteotomy is safe and effective for the treatment of hallux valgus.

Hallux valgus is a common condition and surgical correction has remained a challenge over the last 100 years with at least 130 procedures being described.1 The choice of operation depends principally on the severity of the deformity.2'1 For mild and moderate deformities, distal osteotomies of the first metatarsal joint such as the Chevron,4 Austin, Wilson or Mitchell techniques are used.

A proximal metatarsal osteotomy is recommended for more severe deformities because it allows a greater degree of correction.1 This may be at the expense of stability and bony healing. The Scarf osteotomy has gained popularity because of its inherent stability, minimal shortening of the first metatarsal and ease of internal fixation.5

Meyer6 first described the greater stability of this osteotomy (Z step cut) but initially its use was limited probably because of a lack of sophisticated instruments. Recently, Weil and Borelli' in the USA and Barouk8" in France have contributed to its development. Nevertheless, most of the studies have been retrospective.12-18 We present the results of a prospective study of the Scarf osteotomy and Akin procedure for the treatment of hallux valgus.

Patients and Methods

Between June 2000 and June 2002, 26 patients (37 feet) underwent a Scarf osteotomy of the first metatarsal and an Akin closing-wedge osteotomy of the proximal phalanx of the great toe for the correction of hallux valgus.

Pre-operative complaints included a hunion, pain and difficulty with footwear. Surgery was proposed after failure of a trial of non-operative treatment which included using accommodating shoes, orthoses and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Exclusion criteria included hallux rigidus, open epiphyseal plates, ahsent pedal pulses and local infection.

We performed a prospective evaluation including clinical, radiological and pedoharographic assessment.

Two patients (two feet) were excluded because one had previous surgery to the feet and the other was lost to follow-up. This left 24 patients (35 feet) in the study. There were three men and 21 women with a mean age at the time of surgery of 46 years (18 to 73). Bilateral procedures were undertaken on 11 patients. The mean follow-up was 20 months (9 to 33). All patients were evaluated before and after operation by a single observer (HAA).

The clinical evaluation was both subjective and objective. As part of the subjective assessment the patients were asked if they were very satisfied, satisfied or not satisfied with the results of surgery.

The hallux metatarsophalangeal interphalangeal scale developed by the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS score) was used for the objective assessment.19 The questionnaire was completed at the pre-operative assessment clinic and at the final follow-up. The preoperative AOFAS score was not available to the patients or assessor at the final review thus eliminating bias.

Radiological evaluation. Dorsoplantar and lateral weightbearing radiographs were obtained at the pre-operative assessment clinic and at follow-up visits. The parameters measured included the intermetatarsal angle (IMA), the hallux valgus angle (HVA), the distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA) and the length of the first metatarsal as compared with the second.

The IMA is the angle formed by the intersection of the bisection of the first and second metatarsals. The bisection of the first metatarsal was determined using the technique recommended by Nestor et al20 which consists of a line drawn through the centre of the head and the proximal metaphyses. The reference point for the latter is equidistant from the outer border of the medial and lateral cortices. For the second metatarsal, the reference points recommended by Coughlin, Saltzman and Nunley21 were used. Normal values for the IMA range from 7° to 9°.22