Subtalar arthroscopy--indications and surgical technique.

Subtalar arthroscopy was performed in 18 patients with different diagnoses. Among standard portals the anterolateral ventral (ALV) portal was used for the arthroscope and the posterolateral dorsal (PLD) portal for instrumentation. In 4 patients the subtalar arthroscopy was used only for diagnostic purposes. In 14 patients arthroscopic surgery was carried out in the same session. The surgical procedures were partial synovectomy in 5 patients, resection of a loose body in 3 patients, a subtalar fusion in 3 patients, debridement of the tarsal sinus in 2 patients, and a resection of an unfused os trigonum in 1 patient. Subtalar arthroscopy is a standardised and reproducible procedure with new diagnostic and minimally invasive therapeutic options. We expect this procedure to become established in foot surgery in the near future.