[Treatment of splay foot with the Helal metatarsal osteotomy]

Between 1983-1987 Helal's metatarsal II-IV osteotomy was performed on 135 feet because of painful splayfoot. Follow-up examinations of 93 feet 22 month post up on average showed subjectively and objectively good results in about 80% of the cases. In case of overlength of single metatarsalia we modified Helal's osteotomy by resecting a boneslice instead of performing a simple osteotomy. In order to reduce the incidence of the disturbance of wound healing and longlasting swelling we recommend a modification of post-op treatment.