Metatarsal head resection for rheumatoid deformities of the forefoot

Thirty-five feet in 21 patients, who had had metatarsal head resection for painful rheumatoid forefoot deformities, were analyzed retrospectively. All patients but one were allowed to ambulate 48 hours after surgery. The follow-up period averaged 29 months. A grading system was devised to assess the clinical results based upon pain relief, capacity to ambulate, shoe wear, cosmesis, and use of walking aids. Using this system, the results were 46% excellent, 34% good, 17% fair, and 3% poor. One patient developed a superficial wound infection, which healed uneventfully. Bony impingement was observed on follow-up roentgenograms of 67% of the resectional arthroplasties. This finding was generally asymptomatic, and it did not correlate with the clinical outcome. Smooth wire fixation was used in some of the feet, but it did not improve the results either roentgenographically or clinically.