Müller-Weiss Disease: Three- to Eight-Year Follow-Up Outcomes of Isolated Talonavicular Arthrodesis

Numerous surgical techniques for the treatment of Müller-Weiss disease (MWD) have been reported. However, no extensive clinical and radiographic studies of isolated talonavicular arthrodesis and MWD have been reported. The present retrospective cohort study examined the outcomes of isolated talonavicular arthrodesis at 3 to 8 years of follow-up in 16 MWD patients with a collapsed longitudinal arch and at least Maceira stage III. Demographic data, pre- and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain on walking and walking disability, foot and ankle outcome scores (FAOSs), and radiographic parameters were analyzed, with statistical significance at p < .05. A survival analysis was used to determine the median time to union. The mean ± standard deviation pre- and postoperative VAS scores for pain on walking were 7.69 ± 1.62 and 2.19 ± 1.52 and the walking disability scores were 7.06 ± 2.11 and 2.31 ± 1.92, respectively. The pre- and postoperative FAOSs were 48.07 ± 21.50 and 82.27 ± 13.86 for activities of daily living, 30.86 ± 19.70 and 76.17 ± 22.39 for quality of life, and 20.93 ± 22.89 and 51.88 ± 23.66 for sports/recreation, respectively. The median pre- and postoperative FAOSs for the symptoms subscale were 73.22 (range 42.88 to 100.00) and 87.50 (35.71 to 100.00) and for pain were 34.72 (range 8.33 to 72.22) and 88.89 (54.41 to 100.00), respectively. Significant improvements occurred from preoperatively to postoperatively for VAS scores and FAOSs (p < .05). The mean pre- and postoperative calcaneal pitch angles were 11.31° ± 4.35° and 13.81o ± 5.60o, significant improvement (p = .016). Improvement was also seen midfoot abduction, with a mean pre- and postoperative anteroposterior Meary's angle of 14.38° ± 10.07° and 9.38° ± 12.21°. The survival analysis showed union was achieved in all patients, with a median time to union of 2 (95% confidence interval 1.03 to 3.00) months. Our data indicate that talonavicular arthrodesis provides satisfactory functional outcomes for MWD patients with a collapsed longitudinal arch.