Ultrasonic Fasciotomy for the Treatment of Chronic Plantar Fasciopathy: A Prospective Study.

Abstract

To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of an ultrasonic fasciotomy for plantar fasciopathy. Prospective observational study. Tertiary care academic medical center. Patients with chronic plantar fasciopathy refractory to standard, conservative treatments were included in this study. Patients underwent ultrasonic fasciotomy of the plantar fascia. The primary outcome measures were change in visual analog scale at 12 and 52 weeks post-procedure compared with baseline as well as patients' self-reported satisfaction with the procedure. Sixty-seven patients were included. There was a significant improvement in visual analog scale at all follow-up time points, with an average overall improvement of 5.87 ( P < 0.0001). 94% of patients reported satisfaction with the outcomes of their procedure at 12 and 52 weeks. No procedural complications were seen. This study demonstrates that an ultrasonic fasciotomy is a safe and effective treatment option for chronic plantar fasciopathy, with continued symptom improvement and a high degree of patient satisfaction up to 52 weeks post-procedure. These findings suggest that an ultrasonic fasciotomy should be considered for patients with chronic plantar fasciopathy refractory to conservative treatments.