Forefoot Surgery in Elderly Compared With Younger Patient Populations: Complications and Type of Procedure

In forefoot surgery, the presenting complaints and expected benefits differ between elderly and younger patients. The present study mapped forefoot procedures recommended to elderly patients compared with those recommended to the general population and assessed the complications according to age group and comorbidity. Consecutive patients were included in a single-center, continuous, retrospective case-control study. Three age groups were defined: <65 years, 65 to 74 years, and ≥ 75 years. All patients, regardless of age, underwent the same procedure; elderly-specific techniques such as the Keller procedure were not used. A total of 321 patients were included, with a mean age of 60.6 (range 16 to 86) years. A similar procedure was used in all 3 groups, but at differing frequencies, with arthrodesis and minor procedures increasing with increasing patient age. In all 3 groups, in the population as a whole, the incidence of delayed healing, deep infection, and nonunion was 9%, 1%, and 2%, respectively. These complications were independent of age group. In the <65-year-old group, just as in the study population as a whole, arthrodesis associated with resection arthroplasty resulted in greater rates of delayed healing and deep infection. The complications rates were equivalent among the 3 age groups. Major surgical procedures should be avoided in elderly patients, if possible. However, no particular procedure is contraindicated in the elderly, although the method of fixation must be robust owing to the frequency of osteoporosis. A first step would be to achieve consensus on the age threshold for "elderliness."