Prevalence and orthopedic management of foot and ankle deformities in Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease

Introduction: Foot deformities are frequent complications in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) patients, often requiring orthopedic surgery. However there are no prospective randomized studies on surgical management, and there is variation in the approache between centers in the same country and between different countries. Methods: We assessed the frequency of foot deformities and surgery among patients recruited to the Inherited Neuropathies Consortium (INC). We also designed a survey addressed to orthopedic surgeons at INC centers to determine whether surgical approaches to orthopedic complications in CMT are variable. Results: Foot deformities were reported in 71% of CMT patients; 30% of patients had surgery. Sixteen surgeons working in different specialized centers answered the survey. The majority were foot and ankle surgeons. There was marked variation in surgical management. Discussion: The findings confirm that approach to orthopedic management of CMT is variable and identify areas requiring further research. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.