Comparison of talonavicular dowel arthrodesis utilizing autogenous bone versus defatted bank bone

A simple dowel arthrodesis of the talonavicular joint in an early stage of destruction can reduce pain and prevent the development of valgus deformity in the rheumatoid hindfoot. Previously, we used autogenous dowels made from the iliac crest. In order to facilitate the operation and to get a better fitting dowel, we tried defatted cancellous allograft dowels from which marrow tissue had been removed. The dowels were prepared from femoral heads in our surgical bone bank. At operation, the dowels were embedded in fresh marrow aspirate from the iliac crest and the arthrodeses were stabilized with a staple. Results were evaluated by clinical examination and radiography. The results of four patients were compared with an earlier study of eight patients using autogenous dowels taken from the iliac crest. With both techniques, the patients were relieved of pain in the talonavicular joint, but some had pain from other hindfoot joints. With autogenous dowels, all eight patients healed with radiographic bony union, but with allogenous dowels, the four patients developed fibrotic nonunion. The results indicate that talonavicular arthrodesis should be made using only autologous dowels.