Management of the Apert Foot
摘要
Foot deformities in Apert children are among the most complex to treat and are a daily problem for families and children. However, they have long been neglected in literature. Publications mainly focus on hand surgery; very few have been devoted to foot surgery. Many surgeons were reluctant to add more procedures in these children, who already have a significant number of surgical procedures required throughout their first two decades of life. The first publications only reported on toe separations, the functional impact of which remains in question. This chapter will comprehensively review the different abnormalities encountered in the Apert foot. Some are similar to those of the hand. Others are specific to the Apert foot, which has functional consequences on plantar support and gait. Fusions in the hindfoot, forefoot, and toes increase with age. Growth of the great toe is very disturbed, resulting in a short first ray, which worsens the plantar convexity of the forefoot. Evolution leads to increasingly stiff feet and ankles. We detail the management of different problems posed by deformities. It always starts with conservative treatments such as insoles or orthopedic shoes guided by pedobarography. Surgical treatment will mainly focus on reducing the width of the foot by realigning the first ray and treating the plantar convexity of the forefoot, which causes difficulties in shoe-wearing and pain. We will present our experience with a simple metatarsal osteotomy, relieving pain in all our patients and allowing, in most cases, normal footwear.