Correction of lesser toe deformities: minimally invasive versus open surgery-a prospective randomised study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Foot and ankle surgery

Background:

• Lesser toe deformities are common and can impact foot function and quality of life.
• Surgical interventions aim to correct deformities and improve function, with both minimally invasive (MIS) and open surgery (OS) techniques available.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare soft and hard outcome measures between MIS and OS for lesser toe deformities.
• To evaluate complications, clinical results, functional outcomes, and patient satisfaction for both surgical approaches.

Main Methods:

• Prospective randomized controlled study involving 100 patients.
• Patients were randomized to either MIS or OS groups.
• Clinical, functional (Foot Function Index Germany), and radiological evaluations were performed pre-operatively and at 1.5-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• The open surgery group experienced significantly more wound complications (infections) and non-unions compared to the MIS group.
• Clinical and radiological corrections were comparable between MIS and OS.
• Patient satisfaction and functional improvements (FFI-D) were similar in both groups, with overall good results.

Conclusions:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) provides equivalent clinical outcomes to open surgery (OS) for lesser toe deformities.
• MIS is associated with a lower risk of complications, including soft tissue and bone healing issues.
• Lesser toe surgery, regardless of technique, is a low-risk procedure with generally good patient outcomes.