title: Operative repair of the mallet toe deformity.
abstract: Over a 14-year period, 60 patients (86 toes) underwent resection arthroplasty of the proximal interphalangeal joint for a mallet toe deformity. During the same period, 788 hammertoe corrections were performed, for a ratio of 9:1 hammertoe to mallet toe corrections. Fifty patients (72 toes) were evaluated at an average 55-month follow-up. In 53 toes (73%), the involved toe was longer than the adjacent toes. The second, third, and fourth toes were almost equally involved with a mallet toe deformity. With a resection arthroplasty technique, an arthrodesis of the PIP joint occurred in 52 toes (72%) and a fibrous union occurred in the remaining 20 toes (28%). Overall, 86% of the toes were rated as satisfactory by the patient (P < .001). A slightly lower satisfaction rate (75%) was noted in those toes with a fibrous union. A flexor tenotomy was performed in 22 toes along with the mallet toe repair. Acceptable alignment was noted in 96% of toes with a flexor tenotomy, and in 90% where a mallet toe repair was performed without a flexor tenotomy [corrected]. Pain was relieved (97%), correction was well maintained (91%), and patient subjective satisfaction was high (86%) with this procedure. Minor complications occurred in 14% of cases; however, one fourth of these patients still noted a satisfactory result.
authors.affiliation: Oregon Health Sciences University, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Coughlin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001174:Arthrodesis; D001178:Arthroplasty; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005530:Foot Deformities / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008683:Metatarsophalangeal Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*; D014034:Toes; D016896:Treatment Outcome