Endoscopic plantar fasciotomy in the treatment of chronic heel pain.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate endoscopic plantar fasciotomy for the treatment of recalcitrant heel pain.


METHODS
We undertook a retrospective study of the use of endoscopic plantar fasciotomy in the treatment of chronic heel pain that was unresponsive to conservative treatment. Over a 10-year period, we reviewed the charts of 55 patients with a minimum 12-month history of heel pain that failed to respond to standard nonoperative methods and had undergone the procedure described. All patients were clinically reviewed and completed a questionnaire based on the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score for ankle and hindfoot.


RESULTS
The mean follow-up was 18 months. The mean preoperative AOFAS score was 66.5; the mean postoperative AOFAS score was 88.2. The mean preoperative pain score was 18.6; the mean postoperative pain score was 31.1. Complications were minimal (2 superficial wound infections). Overall, results were favourable in over 80% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that endoscopic plantar fasciotomy is a reasonable option in the treatment of chronic heel pain that fails to respond to a trial of conservative treatment.
Urovitz
Edwin P
EP
Malvern Medical Arts, Scarborough, Ont. eurovitz@sympatico.ca
Birk-Urovitz
Alexandra
A
Birk-Urovitz
Elizabeth
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006365:Heel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome