PLANTAR PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION AFTER RESECTION OF THE METATARSAL HEADSIN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Surgical correction of the forefoot in rheumatoid arthritis by resecti on of all metatarsal heads in combination with a resection arthroplast y of the first metatarsophalangeal joint showed excellent and good res ults in 20 (77%) of 26 cases and satisfactory and fair results in 6 (2 3%) of 26 cases, Twenty-six feet in 16 patients were operated on by a plantar approach and examined after a mean follow-up period of 50 mont hs (range, 24-90 months), Seventy-three percent of the patients were f ree of pain. In 75 (58%) of all 130 investigated toes, complete absenc e of load distribution was noted, In the remaining 55 (42%) toes, we o bserved a variable extent of function, depending on the length of rese ction, Although toe function is better in minimal metatarsal resection , single excessive length or plantar spike formation revealed pressure peaks in the metatarsal area, Metatarsal head resection provided redu ction of pain and correction of severe deformities, and permitted the patients to wear ordinary shoes in 24 (93%) of 26 cases.