Abstract
Purpose: To analyze relation between age or parameters measured before operation and cartilage erosion of the first metatarsal head measured during operation. Materials and Methods: The study was targeted at 56 patients and 79 feet, who underwent Scarf osteotomy or Scarf and Akin osteotomy from November 2009 through November 2010, and whose cartilage lesion of the first metatarsal head referred to the cartilage grade III or IV of the International Cartilage Repair Society. The measurement parameters were age, hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle (1~2), tibial sesamoid position, proximal articular set angle and distal articular set angle. The cartilage erosion of the first metatarsal head was measured by one surgeon using cellophane. Occupancy rate and frequent involved sites of the cartilage erosion were recorded using Auto$CAD^{(R)}$ and adobe Illustrator CS4 program. SPSS correlation test and T-test were used for statistical analysis of the parameters and the cartilage erosion. Results: The cartilage erosion was incurred frequently in the sagittal groove and the site where subluxation or dislocation of the tibial sesamoild bone occurred but frequent involved sites had no statistical significance with cartilage erosion. The age showed a statistical significance with the cartilage erosion in the correlation test (p=0.003). Especially, the group of over 51 year old patients was turned out to have association with the cartilage erosion, compared to the group of below 51 (p=0.007). But, hallux valgus angle, intermetatarsal angle (1~2), tibial sesamoid position, proximal articular set angle and distal articular set angle were no statistical significance with the cartilage erosion. Conclusion: We found the more the age of patients increased (especially above 51), the more cartilage erosion increased. And it is thought that we pay attention to reduce tibial sesamoid bone.