For a study, researchers sought to examine and assess the development of short- and long-term problems in diabetic foot patients following digital arthroplasty or arthrodesis. From January 2017 to March 2020, the authors examined patient records. Patients had digital arthroplasty or arthrodesis to address toe deformities (elective or preventive surgery), cure toe ulcers (curative surgery), or treat toe infection (emergent surgery). During a one-year follow-up, investigators observed both short- and long-term problems. The study looked at the relationship between the kind of surgery and the development of short- and long-term problems.
About 44 patients (83.0%) had arthroplasty, while nine (17.0%) had arthrodesis. The average time to recover from ulcers was 5.2±5.2 weeks. Arthrodesis was shown to be associated with the development of long-term problems (P=.044; odds ratio, 5.1; 95% CI, 0.9–27.2). There were no variations in short- or long-term problems based on the kind of operation. Furthermore, both short- and long-term problems were associated with a longer time to recover (7.3 ±6.0 vs. 2.1±0.5 weeks, P<.001; and 6.3±6.2 vs. 4.2±4.0 weeks, P=.039). Digital arthroplasty or arthrodesis are viable alternatives for diabetic foot patients who require digital deformity repair to achieve digital ulcer healing or for diabetic foot infection control in phalanges.
