Short Scarf Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus: Short-term and Medium-term Results

Aim The scarf osteotomy, as popularized by Barouk, is a versatile osteotomy for the correction of moderate and severe hallux valgus deformity. However, this technique requires extensive exposure, fixation, and increased operative time, and is technically demanding. We describe and present our results of a short scarf osteotomy (SSO), which retains all the cuts of a standard scarf but requires a reduced exposure, less metalwork, less operating time, and is more economical. Materials and methods All patients who underwent SSO between January 2010 and December 2012 with minimum follow-up of 12 months were eligible for the study. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative radiographs were available for radiological assessment. Results In this study, 84 patients and 94 feet were included; 90% of patients were satisfied overall, with 83% of patients recommending this surgery to a friend. The hallux valgus angle improved from a preoperative mean of 30.89° (17.4—46.8) to 12° (4—30) postoperatively (p = 0.0001). The intermetatarsal angle improved from a preoperative mean of 15.05° (10.3—21.1) to 7.14° (4—15.1) postoperatively (p = 0.0001). The average sesamoid coverage improved from grade 2.18 (1—3) preoperatively to 0.57 (0—2) postoperatively (p = 0.0001). The average American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score improved from 51.26 (32—88) preoperatively to 91.1 (72—100) postoperatively (p = 0.0001). Conclusion We believe that this osteotomy is a novel procedure producing good to excellent results in most cases of hallux valgus. Biologically, the decreased exposure should improve healing and reduce the risk of avascular necrosis. We strongly recommend this osteotomy for most cases of hallux valgus surgery. How to cite this article Dalal R, Rachha R, Leonard D, Chourasia A, Javed S. Short Scarf Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus: Short-term and Medium-term Results. J Foot Ankle Surg (Asia-Pacific) 2017;4(1):14-18.