Midfoot ulcers treated with gastrocnemius-soleus recession

Foot ulcers in patients with neuropathy are a common cause of hospital admission for infection sometimes resulting in amputation in patients with neuropathy. Tendon lengthening alone has been reported to be successful in treating neuropathic forefoot ulcers. Tendon lengthening has also been recommended as an adjunct to bony procedures (exostectomy or fusion) for treating midfoot ulcers. The author reports the results of gastrocnemius-soleus recession as the sole treatment of diabetic midfoot ulcers.

This study evaluated the results of 11 patients with 11 neuropathic plantar midfoot ulcers who were treated primarily with gastrocnemius-soleus recession with an average followup of 39 months. Potentially risky bony procedures were done after tendon lengthening if ulcers did not heal or recurred.

Ten of the ulcers healed but one patient was lost to followup after his ulcer healed. One ulcer did not heal and one ulcer recurred but healed again after midfoot fusion. One patient later had a transfemoral amputation due to gangrene. Two patients later died from medical problems unrelated to their surgery. There were no incision problems, or transfer ulcers.

The author believes gastrocnemius-soleus recession as a primary treatment of diabetic midfoot ulcers is a low risk method of promoting ulcer resolution.