Extramembranous transfer of the tibialis posterior tendon for the correction of drop foot deformity

Objectives: We evaluated the effectiveness of extramem- branous transfer of the tibialis posterior (TP) tendon for the treatment of drop foot deformity. Methods: The study included 13 patients (6 females, 7 males; mean age 30 years; range 10 to 46 years) who un¬derwent 15 tendon transfers for drop foot deformity. Ten patients (76.9%) had deformity due to unrepairable nerve injuries, which were associated with surgical procedures in six patients and trauma in the remaining four. In four feet (26.7%), the TP tendon was turned from the intero-anterior aspect of the tibia and fixed by tenodesis to the lateral cu¬neiform bone, while in 11 feet (73.4%), it was transferred to the extensor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum communis, and peroneus tertius tendons. The patients were assessed ac¬cording to the Stanmore system questionnaire. The mean follow-up was 25.3 months (range 12 to 80 months). Results: According to the Stanmore system, the results were poor in two feet (13.3%), moderate in three feet (20%), good in three feet, and very good in seven feet (46.7%). All the patients were satisfied with the final outcome. The mean foot dorsiflexion was 5° (range -5° to 10°), which was 10° in four feet (26.7%), and 5° to 10° in six feet (40%). Apart from complaints of bulging in four patients (30.8%) in the dorsum of the foot due to tendon and suture mate¬rial, no complications were seen during the early postop¬erative period. Conclusion: Extramembranous transfer of the TP ten¬don for the treatment of drop foot deformity enables the patients to walk without the aid of orthosis and increases their quality of life.