Chronic retrocalcaneal bursitis treated by resection of the calcaneus

Resection of the posterosuperior aspect of the calcaneus was performed on 43 heels, in 35 patients with chronic retrocalcaneal bursitis. Forty heels in 32 patients were reviewed either by a clinical and radiographical examination (35 heels), or by a questionnaire (5 heels) after an average of 6 years (range 1-12 years). Fifty percent of the heels were cured and additionally 20% improved, but when surgery was performed within 1 year, 92% of the heels were either cured or improved. No correlation was found between the result of surgery and the estimated size of the resection made at surgery.