Neurovascular and Clinical Outcomes of the Percutaneous Endoscopically Assisted Calcaneal Osteotomy (PECO) Technique to Correct Hindfoot Malalignment

Background:Standard open calcaneal osteotomies to correct hindfoot malalignment have been associated with high complication rates, including nerve damage and wound infection. This has resulted in the development of minimally invasive techniques such as the percutaneous endoscopically assisted calcaneal osteotomy (PECO), which in cadaver studies has been shown to be potentially safer than open surgeries. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of PECO in a clinical setting, with regard to neurovascular injury rates, infection, and short-term radiographic and functional outcomes.Methods:Forty-one (41) patients with planovalgus or cavovarus foot deformities underwent treatment using PECO. Outcomes were analyzed at 6 months and primarily included neurovascular outcomes and wound infection rates. Secondarily, radiographic and functional (visual analog scale for pain [VAS], 36-Item Short Form Medical Outcomes Survey [SF-36], and Foot Function Index [FFI] scores) outcomes were also ...