Arthroscopic Posterior Subtalar Arthrodesis: Surgical Technique

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Foot and Ankle Surgery
• Arthroscopy

Background:

• Subtalar joint fusion alleviates pain from conditions like osteoarthritis and flatfoot.
• Open arthrodesis risks proprioception and vascularity due to extensive dissection.
• Minimally invasive approaches aim to reduce surgical trauma but are technically challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the surgical technique for arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis.
• To evaluate the safety and reliability of this minimally invasive approach.
• To assess functional outcomes using American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores.

Main Methods:

• Detailed description of the arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis procedure.
• Evaluation of patient outcomes based on AOFAS scores.
• Analysis of safety and reliability in a clinical setting.

Main Results:

• Arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis demonstrated consistent improvements in AOFAS scores.
• The technique proved to be safe and reliable in the authors' experience.
• Minimally invasive approach potentially mitigates risks associated with open surgery.

Conclusions:

• Arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis is a safe and effective procedure for subtalar joint pain.
• This technique offers a reliable alternative to open arthrodesis.
• Consistent functional improvements support the use of arthroscopic subtalar fusion.