Subtalar Joint Arthrodesis for Elective and Posttraumatic Foot and Ankle Deformities

Subtalar joint arthrodesis is a procedure used in posttraumatic arthritis, osteoarthritis, tarsal coalition management, posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, and inflammatory arthropathies, and can be used in deformity correction. The goals of the procedure are to eliminate pain, improve function, restore stability, and realign the hind foot. The procedure has high patient satisfaction with low complications while preserving motion in adjacent tarsal joints. Joint preparation is important and time should be spent preparing the joint for successful arthrodesis and the fixation construct needs to be done well and effectively to provide a solid Arbeits-gemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen (AO) construct for good results.