Extra-articular arthrodesis of the subtalar joint: a clinical study and review

A series of 73 Grice extra-articular arthrodeses in 54 children with hind foot valgus is presented with an overall satisfactory result in 79% of these cases. The diagnostic categories in which we have used this procedure include: cerebral palsy, poliomyelitis, meningomyelocele, pes plano valgus, convex pes valgus, osteogenesis imperfecta, congenital hydrocephalus, partial adactylia, and congenital calcaneovalgus. The results with 11 meningomyelocele deformities are encouraging as only 2 of these children required a triple arthrodesis; 5 out of 6 patients in whom the opposite foot could serve as a control developed a smaller foot on the opposite extremity as a result of this procedure. This operative procedure was considered definitive treatment in 47% of the cases (264 operative feet) and produced satisfactory results in 74% of the cases (573 operative feet) reported in the literature.