CLINICAL OUTCOME AFTER SUBTALAR ARTHROSCOPY

We investigated the clinical outcomes of patients with specific sympto ms and physical findings of subtalar pathology with nonspecific radiog raphic findings after subtalar arthroscopy, Preoperative workup includ ed plain radiographs in all of the patients, magnetic resonance imagin g in seven patients, and bone scan in six patients. Based on these stu dies, no patient had significant subtalar arthrosis, Twelve patients u nderwent subtalar arthroscopy. Clinical outcome was rated with the Ame rican Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Hindfoot Score, Preoperativel y, the score ranged from 54 to 75, with a mean of 60. Postoperative sc ores ranged from 53 to 85, with a mean of 71. The follow-up averaged 1 7.5 months, Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and bone scan unif ormly underestimated the degree of articular damage, There were no ope rative complications. Three patients improved their scores by 10 point s or greater. Two of these patients had debridement of a cartilage fla p to a stable base performed. The third patient had an arthroscopicall y assisted removal of a loose body, Three of the four patients whose s cores decreased have progressed to subtalar arthrodesis, We conclude f rom this small series of patients that arthroscopy is the most accurat e method of diagnosing subtalar articular cartilage damage, but that i t has limited therapeutic benefit in the treatment of early degenerati ve joint disease.