Hemiarthroplasty in a patient affected by osteonecrosis of the first metatarsal head following chevron osteotomy: a case report

Osteonecrosis of the first metatarsal head after distal metatarsal osteotomy is a rare condition. Latter stages with complete destruction of the metatarsophalangeal joint often required arthrodesis in order to relieve pain and improve function. We present a case of a 50-years old woman who developed osteonecrosis of the first metatarsal head after distal chevron osteotomy which was successfully treated with hemiarthroplasty of the proximal phalanx. Although longer follow-up and larger number of patients is needed to draw valid conclusions, the current result is encouraging and can be suggested in similar cases.