Triple arthrodesis is commonly used for severe hindfoot deformities in which condition?

Triple arthrodesis is commonly used for severe hindfoot deformities in which condition?

• A. Rheumatoid arthritis
• B. Charcot joint due to trauma
• C. Clubfoot deformity
• D. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Answer: (D)

Triple arthrodesis is used when the hindfoot deformity is severe and rigid, so stability must be restored by fusing the hindfoot joints rather than trying to realign them with multiple osteotomies. In Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, a hereditary neuropathy, there is progressive muscle imbalance and neuropathic degeneration of the hindfoot joints, leading to a painful, unstable, and often rigid deformity. Fusing the subtalar, talonavicular, and calcaneocuboid joints creates a stable, plantigrade foot and eliminates painful motion, which is especially helpful when soft-tissue balancing is unlikely to yield a durable correction and the joints themselves are degenerating.

Other conditions may cause deformity or Charcot joints, but the combination of a neurogenic, progressive, and often rigid hindfoot deformity seen in Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease makes a hindfoot fusion a more common and durable solution for achieving pain relief and function.