Comparison of the Weil and Triple Weil Osteotomies: A Clinical Retrospective Study

The Weil and triple Weil osteotomies are two widely used procedures in the surgical treatment of metatarsalgia. The aim of this comparative retrospective study was to evaluate the functional results and determine the complications of the two types of osteotomies in a series of patients who underwent surgery due to third rocker metatarsalgia.

In this paper, 71 patients were included between September 2015 and October 2020. The average age was 58 years old (age range: 28-72). Of all the patients, 27 suffered from metatarsalgia due to systemic (extra-regional) or regional diseases were excluded. The remaining 44 patients, after six months of unsuccessful conservative treatment, underwent surgery. Based on the preoperative planning to restore the peripheral parabolic curve of the metatarsals, when a shortening of less than or equal to 3 mm was required, a Weil osteotomy was performed. However, when a shortening of more than 3 mm was required, a triple Weil osteotomy was performed. Therefore, two groups of patients were formed, and a total of 90 osteotomies were performed. During the postoperative period, all the patients were clinically and radiographically assessed. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score was used for the assessment of the functional result, while the pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

The mean follow-up was 24 months. The average operative time for the Weil and the triple Weil osteotomies was 22.8 minutes and 31.5 minutes, respectively. In group A, preoperatively, the average AOFAS score was 31/100, and postoperatively, it was 89/100. In group B, the corresponding values were 30/100 and 93/100, respectively. In group A, the preoperative VAS score was 7.8/10, while the postoperative VAS score was 1.3/10. In group B, the corresponding values were 8.2/10 and 1.7/10, respectively. In group A, stiffness had a percentage equal to 60.9%, and a floating toe was noticed in 16 osteotomies. In group B, superficial infection represented the commonest complication, with an incidence of 25.6%.

Both Weil and triple Weil osteotomies are effective procedures in the surgical treatment of patients who suffer from third-rocker metatarsalgia. In both cases, correct preoperative planning is of paramount importance for the outcome. However, in terms of the appearance of the floating toe, it seems that in cases where a ray's shortening of more than 3 mm is required, the triple osteotomy is superior to the Weil osteotomy.