A. Meric Unal
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Orthop Muscul Syst
H indfoot arthroscopy has gained an increased popularity nowadays. This technique is used for therapy usually but can be used for diagnosis for some conditions. Hindfoot arthroscopy can be used for the conditions that involve; posterior half of tibiotalar joint, subtalar joint, posterior part of distal tibia and talus, calcaneus, flexor hallucislongus, tibialis posterior, peroneus longus and brevis and achilles tendons, posteromedial and posterolateral neurovascular structures. The techniques are easily performed from posteromedial and posterolateral portals but for some diseases extra portals can be necessary like peroneal portals and lateral subtalar joint portals. This technique is especially useful and successful in tenosynovitis and bony and soft tissue impingement conditions. It can also be used extreme conditions like arthrodesis, tumor excision, nerve decompression and fracture reduction and fixation. In rare conditions it can also be used as a diagnostic tool. We can use it when we cannot diagnose with any kind of non-operative method. But its diagnostic success is not high as knee arthroscopy. Finally; hindfoot arthroscopy has become very popular in orthopedic surgeons nowadays, it is very successful in the treatment of hindfoot pathologies and successful as diagnostic tool for some hindfoot conditions. Very long learning curve and technical difficulty limits worldwide use of this technique.
A. Meric Unal completed his MD at the age of 23 from Hacettepe University and orthopaedics and traumatology surgery specialty from Dokuz Eylul University. He studied arthroscopic surgery both in Turkey and in Germany. He presented studies and published papers about joint proprioception and sports medicine. He is a member of ISAKOS (International Society of Arthroscopy, Knee Surgery Orthopaedic Sports Medicine).
