[Helal's metatarsal osteotomy]

At the Orthopaedic Clinic of the Institute for In-Service Training of Physicians and Pharmaceuts of the Teaching Hospital at Bulovka in Prague Helal's metatarsal osteotomy was performed between 1979-1987 in 54 patients for obstinate pain in the forefoot. Evaluated were 41 patients which underwent the operation minimum two years ago. The control group comprised 38 female and 3 male patients, the average age was 54 years. In 17 patients the operation was performed bilaterally. Thus in total we evaluated 58 osteotomies according to Helal. Excellent result was found out in 19 patients (46 per cent), good result in 20 patients (48 per cent). Only in 4 cases there occurred complications (2 cases of superficial infection, 1 case of thrombophlebitis, 1 case of painful pseudoarthrosis), out of which only the last one required another intervention. Helal's osteotomy seems to be a simple effective operation with a shortterm hospitalization and good postoperative results.