The Application Of Triple Arthrodesis In Serious Lesions Of Hindfoot

Objective:To discussion the application of triple arthrodesis in serious lesions of hindfoot through clinical research .Methods:Between March 2002 and September 2005, triple arthrodesis was performed in 30 patients with serious lesions in hindfoot. Of these 30 cases, there were 22 males and 8 females with an average age of 41 year(srange from 20 to 55 years). The diagnoses included posttraumatic arthritis in 24 cases , flatfoot in 4 cases and comminuted fracture of calcaneum. Lateral incision was adopted. Results:All the 30 cases were available for review, with an average follow-up of 24 months (range from 6 months to 4 years). AOFAS Clinical rating system score increased from 21.3 preoperatively to 87.2 postoperatively and each item including pain, function and alignment were all improved significantly. All the wounds healed well at 2 weeks and the callus appeared 4 weeks postoperatively. Sufficient pain relief was obtained in all patients at 12 weeks and appearance greatly improved. A solid union was achieved in all cases from the radiograph. There were no severe complications; only one case suffered from necrosis of skin and two case complained of local discomfort after long time of walking or standing for the callus of the foot. Conclusions:Triple arthrodesis is an acceptable treatment for serious lesions of hindfoot with high union rate.