Prevalence and type of foot surgery performed in Australia: A clinical review

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the type and prevalence of foot surgery being conducted by fellows of the Australian College of Podiatric Surgeons. Methods A clinical audit of 786 patient files was undertaken, all of whom had been operated on by 10 podiatric surgeons during a 12-month period. A coding framework was used whereby all files audited had each foot condition classified according to the International Classification of Diseases. Results A total of 1575 diagnosed conditions, which subsequently underwent surgical treatment were identified in 785 case files. The most common conditions identified in this study were: lesser toe deformities (46.1%), hallux abducto valgus (20.8%), intermetatarsal neuroma (Morton's) (7.8%), hallux rigidus/limitus (6.6%) and onychocryptosis (6.7%). It would appear that, on a state for state basis, the amount of foot surgery conducted by podiatric surgeons across Australia is relatively uniform. In terms of the type and prevalence of conditions surgically treated by podiatrists internationally, these rates bear striking similarity to the results reported in the United Kingdom and the United States. Conclusion The data suggests podiatric surgeons operate ostensibly on healthy female patients in their fifth and sixth decade of life. Almost half of the patients operated upon underwent multiple procedures, with variability in the type and frequency of procedures most likely being attributable to individual surgeon preference.