Long-term results of salvage surgery in severely injured feet.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of our study was to analyze the long-term outcome of salvage surgery in severely injured feet.


METHODS
Clinical-functional scores and radiographic findings were used to assess the outcome of 18 patients (19 feet) with severe trauma to the foot treated at a tertiary teaching hospital from January, 1985 to October, 2005. Fourteen males and four females with a mean age of 35 years were studied. The mean followup period was 76 months.


RESULTS
There was a high incidence of late complications and poor functional results (mean AOFAS = 68/100): chronic pain, 15 of 19 (mean analogical pain score 3.4/10); global foot stiffness, 11 of 19 (with radiographic evidence of arthritis of the remaining foot joints in 13 of 19); residual deformity, 13 of 19; arterial-venous insufficiency, 12 of 19; signs of reflex sympathetic dystrophy, seven of 19; chronic ulcers, six of 19; and chronic osteomyelitis, two of 19. Twelve patients had a visible limp and only 8 of 19 returned to work.


CONCLUSIONS
Five years after severe foot injury most patients had painful stiffness and only 40% returned to work. Long-term clinical-functional results of the severely injured foot may be disappointing.
Foot and Ankle Division, Santa Casa Medical School, Orthopaedics, Rua Barata Ribeiro 380, cj 64, Bela Vista, São Paulo, SP 01308-000, Brazil. ceckley@unisys.com.br
Ricardo C
RC
Ferreira
Minoru A
MA
Sakata
Marco T
MT
Costa
Gastão G
GG
Frizzo
Roberto A L
RA
Santin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome