Rear foot (calcaneovalgus) before surgery	Rear foot corrected after MBA surgery	Flatfoot Deformity	Flatfoot correction after MBA surgery

Flatfeet

The arch is the main supportive structure of the foot. Flatfoot, hyperpronation, or a flattening-out of the longitudinal arch is a very common deformity. It is evident in children as well as adults. Another cause of flatfeet can be attributed to Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction

Ignoring your flatfoot may result in other deformities, e.g., bunions, heel spurs, harmmertoes, knee, hip, and low back pain. Calcaneovalgus refers to flexible flatfoot in children and infants.

TREATMENTS

Conservative methods, e.g., orthotics, stretching exercises, and medication are utilized primarily to relieve pain from the foot and leg. These methods may fail to provide relief and do not provide any correction at the point of contact. For patients who have exhausted conservative measures. the MBA arthroereisis offers the latest technology and design for a permanent correction.

Advantages of the MBA implant include: simplicity of the procedure, predictability, low incidence of failure, shock-absorbing qualities and fibrous ingrowth which anchors the implant. The surgery is also completely reversible.

SURGICAL CORRECTION

The MBA implant is a self-threading, self-locking, titanium alloy implant, providing excellent biocompatibility with human tissue. The implant is positioned in the subtalar joint (under the ankle), see picture, which restores the height of the arch. It performs like an "internal orthotic." The implant can be used in children and adults

In adults, ancillary procedures may be done at the same time, e.g. an achilles tendon lengthening, if an equinus deformity is present. It is important for the doctor to evaluate each flatfoot deformity to define the degree of severity. A complete examination will include a medical evaluation, frequency of symptoms, types of activities and any pain or problems you have. A gait analysis, to observe movement and stability of your feet and leg, will also be performed.

RECOVERY

After the procedure is performed, the patient will be walking the next day in a Cam Walker for approximately 3 weeks. There after, regular shoes can be worn with an ankle brace for an additional 2-3 weeks.

CONCLUSION

This technique is the latest and most innovative procedure to correct flat foot deformity. The MBA implant surgical procedure has been proven to be nothing short of a miracle to patient afflicted with flatfeet and pain.