Modified Girdlestones-Taylor procedure for claw toes in spinal cord injury

Abstract

Study design:A combination of review of case notes and outpatient follow-up.Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness of the modified Girdlestones-Taylor procedure in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).Setting:Princess Royal Spinal Injuries Centre (PRSIC), Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK.Methods:Nine patients with claw toe deformities to 27 toes were treated at the PRSIC from 1996 to 2005. After examination of their medical records, their toes were assessed for pain, residual deformity and stiffness. They were also asked to grade their satisfaction with the surgical outcome. The results were tabulated.Results:The average age of our series of patients was 43.3 years. The mean time from injury to surgery was 20.4 years and the mean time from surgery to last follow-up was 37.3 months. All our patients had good to excellent results, with over 70% of the toes having excellent results.Conclusion:The modified Girdlestones-Taylor procedure for claw toe correction appears to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with SCI. © 2006 International Spinal Cord Society All rights reserved.