Outcomes After Hallux Interphalangeal Joint Arthrodesis

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Podiatric surgery

Background:

• Hallux interphalangeal joint arthrodesis (HIPJA) is a common procedure for various foot pathologies.
• Current surgical techniques for HIPJA have not significantly changed despite high reported nonunion rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine nonunion and complication rates associated with HIPJA.
• To identify risk factors contributing to treatment failure in HIPJA.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 227 primary HIPJA procedures performed over a 10-year period.
• Evaluation of patient factors, surgical indications, and radiographic/clinical outcomes.
• Definition of radiographic union as bridging bone or cortical continuation without hardware failure or lytic gapping.

Main Results:

• The study identified a 25.5% nonunion rate and a 21.1% reoperation rate.
• Patients with diabetes showed a significantly higher risk of nonunion (P = .014).
• Radiographic nonunion was a significant predictor of reoperation (P < .0001).

Conclusions:

• This study represents the largest single-center series of HIPJA procedures to date.
• Standard surgical techniques for HIPJA are associated with high rates of nonunion and reoperation.