Background: The goals of cavus foot correction are to obtain a plantigrade foot with the heel in slight valgus position and to hopefully preserve joint motion in both the tarsal and metatarsal joints. The apex of many cavus deformities is near Chopart joint. We are reporting on a new technique involving navicular excision and cuboid osteotomy to correct severe stiff cavus feet.
Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent navicular excision and a cuboid dorsal closing wedge osteotomy to correct a rigid cavus foot deformity was performed. A total of 11 children and 16 feet were treated during the past 8 years at 2 centers.
Results: All feet had navicular excision and a cuboid dorsal closing wedge osteotomy to correct a rigid cavus foot deformity. The etiology of the deformity was as follows: multiply operated congenital clubfoot (5 feet), arthrogryposis (6 feet), and neurological deficits (5 feet). At a mean follow-up of 4.9 years, all had a plantigrade foot.
Conclusions: This salvage procedure offers an alternative method to correct a severe stiff cavus deformity. The procedure is performed at the apex of the deformity and thus maximum correction can be obtained by this "wedge resection." The curved articular surfaces of the cuneiforms articulate with the head of the talus post navicular excision if no fusion is desired. Navicular excision has been used to correct children with vertical talus, but not previously reported as a method to handle severe cavus. It is a salvage procedure that should be considered to address severe rigid cavus.
Level of evidence: Level IV.