018 SURGICAL TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS OF THE FOREFOOT

Forefoot involvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is extremely common and the majority of the patients with RA have active foot symptoms and signs of the disease. This rertospective study was undertaken to assess the outcomes and complications in the surgery of the forefoot RA. Seventeen patients (27 feet) with RA underwent surgical correction for the forefoot deformities. Antero-posterior and lateral weight bearing radiographs of all feet were taken preoperatively. The forefoot deformities seen with RA varied and included hallux valgus with subluxed metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint in 23 feet, hallux valgus with dislocation of the MTP in 4, hammer or claw toes in 12 and 8 feet respectively. In addition, all 27 feet presented with variable levels of intermetatarsal deviations or widening. All the patients with hallux valgus underwent first MTP joint arthrodesis with various techniques. Deformities of the lesser toes were treated in all but 3 cases with resection arthroplasty, while the remaining 3 feet received a Weil osteotomy. Postoperatively the toes and the MTP joints were stabilised with K-wires for 6–8 weeks. All patients have been studied for a minimum follow up of 9 months. Twenty six patients were satisfied by the outcome of the surgical treatment. Only one patient complained of persistent metatarsalgia postoperatively. The surgical complications included 2 cases of delayed union, 5 cases of delayed wound healing, 2 cases of wound infection, and 4 cases of plantar callosity. Overall, 4 patients required reoperation. Even though complications occur in patients with RA who undergo surgical correction of the forefoot deformities, most of these complications can be treated successfully. Thus, the overall outcome of the surgical treatment is good leading to satisfactory correction of the forefoot deformities and to pain elimination