Deltoid Insufficiency and Flatfoot—Oh Gosh, I’m Losing the Ankle! What Now?

Adult acquired flatfoot deformity is a severe condition in which the ankle is markedly affected by medial instability and valgus deformity. Unbalanced forces pose high stress on the tibiotalar joint, and different levels of arthritis may develop. Correcting valgus tilt in the ankle, at the time of flatfoot reconstruction, is imperative to prevent future collapse and the need for ankle arthrodesis or arthroplasty. Unfortunately, there has been no universal procedure adapted by foot and ankle surgeons for repair or augmentation of the deltoid ligament. We recommend a technique of reconstruction of the superficial and deep deltoid ligaments using suture tapes and, eventually, the combination with autograft tendon, in conjunction with spring complex reconstruction. Level of Evidence: Diagnostic Level V. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Source: Techniques in Foot and Ankle Surgery - Category: Orthopaedics Tags: Special Focus Source Type: research