Evaluation of the treatment of hallux rigidus by percutaneous surgery

This longitudinal prospective study of 22 patients (26 feet) aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous surgery in the treatment of hallux rigidus, and to assess patient satisfaction with the result of this surgical approach. Pain levels (VAS), quality of life (SF-12) and clinical stage (AOFAS) were scored prior to surgery and 18 months after surgery. Pain relief was noted in all cases, with mean pain scores falling from 7.44 before surgery to 1.69. Perception of quality of life also improved, while AOFAS scores rose from 58.45 to 92.36. These results suggest that percutaneous treatment of hallux rigidus, consisting in capsular release, resection of bony spurs and dorsal wedge osteotomy of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, is effective in terms of both clinical outcome and patient satisfaction, as the scores for both measures were noted to be higher than reported using conventional techniques.