Minimally invasive surgery for hallux valgus: A retrospective study

Hallux valgus is one of the most frequent foot deformities seen in the population, which might cause pain and difficulty walking, affecting patients’ everyday life, eventually needing surgical correction. Over 140 different surgical procedures have been described, with minimally invasive surgical procedures becoming one of the favorite approaches in the recent years, due to their improved outcomes, especially in the early postoperative period characterized by shorter surgery duration, faster recovery and more cosmetic scars. Methods: Our study aimed to analyze the short/midterm outcomes of MIS techniques and their recurrence and complication rates, by performing a retrospective study of patients which underwent MIS correction of hallux valgus with a minimum follow up period of 6 months. Results: A total of 43 cases were included in the study. There was a significant improvement of HVA, IMA and DMAA in these patients, with a mean AOFAS score of 80 ± 12.7. The most common postoperative complications were pain, stiffness and edema. The recurrence rate in the sample was 23.3% and no significant association was found between the type of MIS procedure and recurrence or postoperative complications. Conclusion: Minimally invasive surgery is an effective tool for the management of hallux valgus, with no MIS technique proven to be better than others regarding the complication rate and recurrence after the surgery. More studies however are needed on the topic, with larger sample size and longer follow up.