Safety and Efficacy of Medial Plate in First Metatarsophalangeal Joint Arthrodesis

Background. Arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP-1) is a recognized and effective procedure in advanced osteoarthritis of this joint. Fixation with a dorsal plate and a compression screw has been described as the most stable. Nevertheless, the frequency of revision procedures after MTP-1 arthrodesis has been reported to exceed 10% in some reports. The need for revision surgery is mostly related to the fixation material used and concern both its destabilization and a conflict between the implants and soft tissues. Therefore, there is still scope for developing new stabilization methods for the MTP-1 joint. Materials and methods. With the approval of the relevant Bioethics Committee, we conducted a pilot clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of the use of the medial plate in MTP-1 fusion. Twenty patients qualified for treatment due to osteoarthritis of the metatarsophalangeal joint were evaluated. The clinical results of the surgical treatment were assessed at least one year after the surgery. Results. The mean AOFAS MTP-IP score increased from 35.29±18.76 to 75.59±12.15. The mean EFAS score in­creased from 9.24±5.73 to 18.35±5.66. Pain level as per a VAS decreased from 6.24±1.48 to 1.59±2.58. A total of 18 patients were satisfied with the procedure, with the remaining 2 patients reporting the result as unsatisfactory. Two revision procedures were performed, both due to migration of the fixation material. Conclusions. 1. The clinical results of MTP-1 arthrodesis with the medial plate are comparable to the results in the litera­ture. 2. It can be concluded that the use of the medial plate in arthrodesis of the MTP-1 joint is safe and effective, and is a va­­luable alternative to existing methods.