Background: Metatarsalgia is a common pathology that is initially treated conservatively, but failure to do so requires surgery, such as the minimally invasive distal metatarsal osteotomy (DICMO). Methods: In this prospective study of 65 patients with primary metatarsalgia who underwent DICMO, plantar pressures, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society MetaTarsoPhalangeal-InterPhalangeal scale (AOFAS-MTP-IP) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were evaluated pre-operatively and post-operatively and there was a subgroup in which an inclinometer was used to observe the importance of the inclination of the osteotomy. Results: The results show a significant reduction in plantar pressures after DICMO surgery without overloading the adjacent radii, especially in the subgroup with an inclinometer to guide the osteotomy. The AOFAS-MTP-IP scale evidenced a marked improvement in metatarsal function and alignment with scores close to normal. The VAS scale showed a substantial decrease in pain after DICMO osteotomy. Conclusions: DICMO, with an inclinometer for a 45° osteotomy, proved to be a safe and effective procedure for primary metatarsalgia, although further comparative studies are needed to confirm its superiority.
Keywords: DICMO; inclinometer; metatarsalgia; minimally invasive; osteotomy; plantar pressures.