Subjective results of hallux rigidus following treatment with cheilectomy.

The records of 58 patients who had hallux rigidus and were treated with cheilectomy between 1977 and 1984 showed the following results: 53.4% completely satisfactory, 19% mostly satisfactory, 27.6% unsatisfactory. No deterioration of results with time was apparent. When the results were analyzed in relation to the degenerative changes that were evident in the preoperative roentgenograms, the failure rate was increased from 15% with Grade I changes to 37.5% with Grade III changes. Cheilectomy is the procedure of choice in patients with hallux rigidus and Grade I changes.