ARTHROSCOPY OF THE SUBTALAR JOINT - ESTABLISHING A MEDIAL PORTAL

One of the recently introduced procedures for studying the posterior s ubtalar joint is subtalar arthroscopy. There is no reference in the li terature to the possibility of a medial portal that might be used eith er for arthroscopic insertion, probing, or instrumental manipulation. The two portals mentioned in the literature are the anterolateral and the posterolateral portals. For evaluating the possibility of establis hing a medial portal, six embalmed adult cadaver feet were used to stu dy the anatomical relations to the proposed medial portal. The subtala r joints of another six fresh adult cadaver feet were then arthroscope d, after distraction of the joint, using the anterolateral, posterolat eral, and medial portals. Findings indicated that the medial portal gi ves good visualization of the posterior subtalar joint, Clinical appli cation has not yet been assessed.