Background: Despite advancements in operative techniques and the extraordinary number of procedures described for correcting hallux valgus (HV), there is still uncertainty as to why some patients thrive postoperatively whereas others do not. This study aimed to investigate whether the postoperative outcome of HV surgery could be predicted from patient demographics or functional impairment at the time of referral.
Methods: The prospectively collected data, from 92 patients, were analyzed to determine whether patient demographics significantly influenced outcome 52 weeks after surgery. Potential relationships between socioeconomic deprivation and the outcome, as well as between preoperative functional impairment and postoperative improvement, were examined. The Manchester Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ) and Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) were used in this evaluation.
Results: None of the demographics studied were found to be statistically significant determinants of outcome. Preoperative MOXFQ scores for patients from the most deprived areas were significantly worse at the time of referral. Patients living in the least deprived postcodes experienced the lowest improvement in MOXFQ scores. Patients from the most deprived SIMD quintile achieved significantly higher improvement in MOXFQ-walking and standing compared to those from the least deprived quintile. A strong positive correlation was found between the preoperative MOXFQ scores and the improvement in the scores postoperatively.
Conclusion: In this patient cohort, demographics could not be used to predict the postoperative outcome at week 52. Socioeconomic disparities seem to influence the timing of patients seeking surgery. Lower preoperative MOXFQ scores strongly correlate with a lesser degree of postoperative improvement.
Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective study with prospective arm.
Keywords: forecasting operative outcome; functional outcome after hallux valgus surgery; hallux valgus; socioeconomic.