Treatment of Brachymetatarsia by Distraction Osteogenesis Using Monolateral External Fixator.
Adriano Machado Filho1, Gabriel Fonseca de Oliveira Costa1, Aryell Assis Dos Santos Faria1
1Departamento de Pé e Tornozelo, Hospital de Urgências de Goiânia - Secretaria do Estado da Saúde, Goiânia, GO, Brasil.
Revista Brasileira De Ortopedia
|February 24, 2022
Summary
External fixators effectively lengthen metatarsals in brachymetatarsia patients, primarily women seeking aesthetic improvement. This technique shows successful bone lengthening with minimal complications and high patient satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Podiatric medicine
- Reconstructive surgery
Background:
- Brachymetatarsia, a condition characterized by abnormally short metatarsal bones, can cause significant aesthetic concerns and functional limitations.
- Surgical intervention, including metatarsal lengthening, is often pursued to correct this deformity.
- External fixation devices offer a method for gradual bone lengthening through distraction osteogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the patient demographic and clinical profile of individuals undergoing metatarsal lengthening for brachymetatarsia.
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using external fixators for metatarsal lengthening.
- To assess patient outcomes and satisfaction following the surgical procedure.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of medical records for patients treated for brachymetatarsia between January 2018 and April 2020.
- Inclusion criteria: Patients who underwent metatarsal lengthening using an external fixator.
- Data collected included patient demographics, surgical details, lengthening parameters, complications, and patient-reported outcomes.
Main Results:
- The study included six female patients (100%) with a mean age of 28 years, primarily seeking correction for aesthetic deformity.
- The average metatarsal lengthening achieved was 11.46 mm at a rate of 0.5 mm/day over an average of 22 days.
- Fifty percent of patients experienced minor pin site infections, successfully treated with antibiotics; no other significant complications were reported, and all patients reported high satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- Metatarsal lengthening using external fixators is a viable and effective treatment for brachymetatarsia, particularly in female patients desiring aesthetic improvement.
- The procedure demonstrates successful bone lengthening with a low complication rate and high levels of patient satisfaction.
- Distraction osteogenesis at 0.5 mm/day is a safe and effective rate for metatarsal lengthening in this patient population.
