Multicenter retrospective study reveals talocalcaneal coalitions predominate in symptomatic Japanese patients, indicating distinct anatomical patterns compared to Western populations.
Key Points
To investigate the anatomical distribution, facet involvement, and treatment patterns of symptomatic tarsal coalitions across specialized Japanese foot and ankle centers.
Multicenter retrospective study analyzing 127 symptomatic tarsal coalitions across four specialized foot and ankle centers in Japan between 1997 and 2025.
Coalitions were classified by anatomical subtype (talocalcaneal, naviculocuneiform, calcaneonavicular, cubonavicular, or cuneometatarsal) and articular facet involvement.
Treatment strategies were evaluated across conservative management, coalition resection, and arthrodesis.
Talocalcaneal coalitions were the most common subtype (56.7%), followed by naviculocuneiform (22.8%), calcaneonavicular (16.5%), cubonavicular (3.1%), and cuneometatarsal (0.8%) coalitions.
Posterior facet involvement occurred in 73.6% of talocalcaneal coalitions and combined middle-posterior involvement in 22.2%, while bilateral coalitions occurred in 18.9% of all patients.
Surgical intervention was performed in 66.9% of cases (coalition resection in 60.6% and arthrodesis in 6.3%), while conservative management was successful in 33.1%.