title: Surgical treatment of stage I posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.
abstract: Nineteen patients underwent surgical synovectomy and debridement for the clinical diagnosis of stage I posterior tibial tendon (PTT) dysfunction. Stage I PTT dysfunction is characterized by pain and swelling along the medial aspect of the ankle. Fourteen patients (74%) reported complete relief of pain, 3 patients (16%) reported minor pain, and 1 patient (5%) had moderate pain, and 1 (5%) had continued severe pain. Sixteen (84%) of the patients subjectively reported being "much better" and had a return of function of the PTT, as evidenced by their ability to perform a single limb-heel-rise test. Two patients (10%) underwent subtalar arthrodesis for progressive foot deformity and continued pain. Based on these results, surgical release, tenosynovectomy, and debridement are recommended for the treatment of stage I PTT dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston Salem, North Carolina 27157.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Teasdall
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000843:Ankle Joint; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D000074402:Synovectomy; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000503:physiopathology; D013710:Tendons / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013717:Tenosynovitis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013977:Tibia; D016896:Treatment Outcome