Subtalar staple arthroereisis for planovalgus foot deformity in children with neuromuscular disease

Twenty-two patients (34 feet) with severe, flexible, planovalgus feet due to neuromuscular conditions were treated with subtalar staple arthroereisis. Patients were followed up for an average of 5 years (range, 2.5-9 years). Of the 34 feet, 18 did not require revision surgery; however, the remaining 16 feet required revision at an average of 39 months after surgery (range, 9-63 months). Revision procedures consisted of hardware removal in four cases, repeated subtalar stapling in one, triple arthrodesis in two, and calcaneal with or without cuboid and cuneiform osteotomy in nine feet. The long-term results of subtalar staple arthroereisis were unpredictable, and although it was effective in approximately half of our patients, we no longer recommend this procedure for the correction of the neuromuscular planovalgus foot deformity.