Total Talar Replacement for Idiopathic Osteonecrosis of the Talus: Investigation of Clinical Outcomes, Pain, ADL, QOL

Abstract

Background: Treatment of osteonecrosis of the talus is challenging. Nonoperative management includes nonweightbearing treatment. Various types of hindfoot fusion procedures have been performed, but delayed union and shortening of the operated leg have reportedly occurred. In contrast, talar body prosthesis is a surgical procedure with potential that relieves pain, restores ankle joint function, and is not associated with leg-length discrepancy. The aim of this study was to investigate postoperative pain, clinical outcomes, activities of daily living (ADL), and quality of life (QOL) after total talar replacement in patients with osteonecrosis of the talus. Methods: Ten ankles in 10 patients with idiopathic osteonecrosis of the talus who were treated with a total talar replacement between 2007 and 2015 were included in the investigation. Scores according to the visual analog scale (VAS), Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot (JSSF) ankle-hindfoot scale, Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and the Self-Administered Foot Evaluation Questionnaire (SAFE-Q) were assessed. Results: The VAS score significantly improved from a mean of 80 ± 8 points before surgery to 18 ± 22 points after surgery (P