MICA Procedure vs Open Chevron Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus Correction: A Prospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Foot and Ankle Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures

Background:

• Hallux valgus treatment lacks a gold standard, with over 150 described surgical techniques.
• Growing interest exists in minimally invasive surgical approaches for hallux valgus.
• This study compares a minimally invasive technique with a conventional open procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively compare clinical and radiologic outcomes of the MICA technique versus open chevron osteotomy.
• To evaluate outcomes at a 1-year follow-up period.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of MICA as an alternative surgical option.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study involving 68 patients undergoing either MICA or open chevron osteotomy.
• Data collection included preoperative and 12-month postoperative clinical and radiographic assessments.
• Standardized outcome measures such as AOFAS, MOXFQ, VAS, FFI, FAOS, and EQ5D were utilized.

Main Results:

• Both MICA and open chevron osteotomy groups showed significant improvements in HVA, IMA, and DMAA at 1 year.
• No significant differences were observed in clinical outcomes (VAS, AOFAS, MOXFQ, FFI, FAOS) between the two techniques.
• Complication rates and operative times were comparable between the MICA and open chevron groups.

Conclusions:

• The Minimally Invasive Chevron and Akin (MICA) technique is a safe alternative for hallux valgus surgery.
• Clinical and radiographic outcomes of MICA are comparable to the conventional open chevron technique at 12 months.
• MICA provides a viable option for hallux valgus correction with similar efficacy to open surgery.