ABSTRACT
Residual paresis and deformity of the ankle-foot is a common sequel of chronic poliomyelitis. Twenty patients with a mean age of 18.6 years [range 18 - 20 years] suffering paralytic flail deformed ankle-foot, but with adequate gluteus maximus muscle power and stable knee, secondary to chronic poliomyelitis acquired during infancy, had been treated with ankle-midtarsal arthrodesis using Charnley's external fixator-compression for the ankle and staples for the midtarsal joints. They were retrospectively evaluated for the results after arthrodesis at a mean interval of 3.8 years [range, 2 - 6 years] by physical examination and radio-graphs. All patients had a stable painless plantigrade resilient foot after arthrodesis. Neither nonunion [pseudoarthrosis] developed nor did talar avascular necrosis. Complications included wound slough [one], and reflex sympathetic dystrophy [one]. Four cases [20%] were classified as excellent, 10 cases [50%] as good, 5 cases [25%] as fair, and one case [5%] as poor. With the numbers available for study, it could be possible to show that the extent of the arthrodesis and involvement of hindfoot and midfoot joints sparing the subtalar joint affected functional outcome in a significant fashion. The principle, though applied to paralytic cases, can also be used in other non-paralytic ankle-foot deformity