Background: We aimed to compare the postoperative height of the second metatarsal head relative to the first metatarsal head using axial radiographs among 3 different commonly used osteotomy techniques: proximal chevron metatarsal osteotomy (PCMO), scarf osteotomy, and distal chevron metatarsal osteotomy (DCMO).
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the radiographs and clinical findings of the patients with painful callosities under the second metatarsal head, complicated by hallux valgus, who underwent isolated PCMO, scarf osteotomy, or DCMO from February 2005 to January 2015. Each osteotomy was performed with 20 degrees of plantar ward obliquity. Along with lateral translation and rotation of the distal fragment to correct the deformity, lowering of the first metatarsal head was made by virtue of the oblique metatarsal osteotomy.
Results: Significant postoperative change in the second metatarsal height was observed on axial radiographs in all groups; this value was greatest in the PCMO group (vs scarf: P = .013; vs DCMO: P = .008) but did not significantly differ between the scarf and DCMO groups ( P = .785). The power for second metatarsal height correction was significantly greater in the PCMO group (vs scarf: P = .0005; vs DCMO: P = .0005) but did not significantly differ between the scarf and DCMO groups ( P = .832).
Conclusions: Among the 3 osteotomy techniques commonly used to correct hallux valgus deformity, we observed that PCMO yielded the most effective height change of the second metatarsal head.
Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative series.
Keywords: hallux valgus; lesser metatarsals; painful plantar callosity; proximal chevron osteotomy.