Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

1-year results after surgery for flexible adult-acquired flatfoot deformity : a cohort study based on 190 patients from the Swedish Foot and Ankle Surgery Register

Osbeck, Ida Karin Johanna LU ; Cöster, Maria LU and Atroshi, Isam LU (2026) In Acta Orthopaedica 97. p.279-285
Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Surgical outcomes in patients with flexible adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) have not been evaluated in large prospective register studies. Calcaneal osteotomy and hindfoot arthrodesis are commonly used. We aimed to compare the results of these 2 procedures using preoperative and 1-year postoperative patient-reported outcome data from the Swedish Quality Register for Foot and Ankle Surgery (Swefoot).

METHODS: We analyzed data regarding feet that had primary surgery for flexible (grade II) AAFD between 2017 and 2022 in Sweden. The primary outcome was the Self-Reported Foot and Ankle Score (SEFAS), range 0-48 (minimal important difference 5). Secondary outcomes were EQ-5D and... (More)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Surgical outcomes in patients with flexible adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) have not been evaluated in large prospective register studies. Calcaneal osteotomy and hindfoot arthrodesis are commonly used. We aimed to compare the results of these 2 procedures using preoperative and 1-year postoperative patient-reported outcome data from the Swedish Quality Register for Foot and Ankle Surgery (Swefoot).

METHODS: We analyzed data regarding feet that had primary surgery for flexible (grade II) AAFD between 2017 and 2022 in Sweden. The primary outcome was the Self-Reported Foot and Ankle Score (SEFAS), range 0-48 (minimal important difference 5). Secondary outcomes were EQ-5D and satisfaction.

RESULTS: 190 feet (63% women, median age 62 years, interquartile range 54-68) were surgically treated during the study period. Mean improvement in SEFAS score was 12 (95% confidence interval [CI] 10-13) in grade IIa and 10 (CI 8-12) in grade IIb, and in the EQ-5D index 0.27 (CI 0.20-0.34) and 0.23 (CI 0.15-0.31), respectively. Compared with preoperatively a higher percentage of patients were satisfied with postoperative foot appearance (77% vs 39%) and foot strength (66% vs 23%). The mean SEFAS score improvement was 11 (CI 10-13) in the osteotomy group and 10 (CI 5-15) in the arthrodesis group; adjusted mean difference was 2.7 (CI -1.2 to 6.5).

CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of flexible AAFD significantly improves function and quality of life at 1 year postoperatively. No differences in postoperative patient-reported outcomes were observed between patients who underwent calcaneal osteotomy compared with hindfoot arthrodesis.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Flatfoot/surgery, Female, Male, Middle Aged, Aged, Sweden, Arthrodesis/methods, Registries, Osteotomy/methods, Patient Reported Outcome Measures, Patient Satisfaction, Calcaneus/surgery, Treatment Outcome, Foot Deformities, Acquired/surgery, Cohort Studies
in
Acta Orthopaedica
volume
97
pages
279 - 285
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • pmid:42099081
  • scopus:105038093723
ISSN
1745-3682
DOI
10.2340/17453674.2026.45942
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e7d100db-f308-4954-a4db-27c45ba04c55
date added to LUP
2026-05-08 13:09:58
date last changed
2026-08-26 18:03:00
@article{e7d100db-f308-4954-a4db-27c45ba04c55,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Surgical outcomes in patients with flexible adult-acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) have not been evaluated in large prospective register studies. Calcaneal osteotomy and hindfoot arthrodesis are commonly used. We aimed to compare the results of these 2 procedures using preoperative and 1-year postoperative patient-reported outcome data from the Swedish Quality Register for Foot and Ankle Surgery (Swefoot).</p><p>METHODS: We analyzed data regarding feet that had primary surgery for flexible (grade II) AAFD between 2017 and 2022 in Sweden. The primary outcome was the Self-Reported Foot and Ankle Score (SEFAS), range 0-48 (minimal important difference 5). Secondary outcomes were EQ-5D and satisfaction.</p><p>RESULTS: 190 feet (63% women, median age 62 years, interquartile range 54-68) were surgically treated during the study period. Mean improvement in SEFAS score was 12 (95% confidence interval [CI] 10-13) in grade IIa and 10 (CI 8-12) in grade IIb, and in the EQ-5D index 0.27 (CI 0.20-0.34) and 0.23 (CI 0.15-0.31), respectively. Compared with preoperatively a higher percentage of patients were satisfied with postoperative foot appearance (77% vs 39%) and foot strength (66% vs 23%). The mean SEFAS score improvement was 11 (CI 10-13) in the osteotomy group and 10 (CI 5-15) in the arthrodesis group; adjusted mean difference was 2.7 (CI -1.2 to 6.5).</p><p>CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of flexible AAFD significantly improves function and quality of life at 1 year postoperatively. No differences in postoperative patient-reported outcomes were observed between patients who underwent calcaneal osteotomy compared with hindfoot arthrodesis.</p>}},
  author       = {{Osbeck, Ida Karin Johanna and Cöster, Maria and Atroshi, Isam}},
  issn         = {{1745-3682}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Flatfoot/surgery; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Aged; Sweden; Arthrodesis/methods; Registries; Osteotomy/methods; Patient Reported Outcome Measures; Patient Satisfaction; Calcaneus/surgery; Treatment Outcome; Foot Deformities, Acquired/surgery; Cohort Studies}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{279--285}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Acta Orthopaedica}},
  title        = {{1-year results after surgery for flexible adult-acquired flatfoot deformity : a cohort study based on 190 patients from the Swedish Foot and Ankle Surgery Register}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2340/17453674.2026.45942}},
  doi          = {{10.2340/17453674.2026.45942}},
  volume       = {{97}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}