Accessory Navicular is Associated With Wider and More Prominent Navicular Bone in Pediatric Patients by Radiographic Measurement

The prevalence and anatomy of accessory navicular bone: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

There have been over 40 descriptions of the common developmental variants of the accessory ossicles of the feet. Although predominantly asymptomatic, they sometimes may be linked to painful conditions. One of the most common accessory ossicles in the foot is the accessory navicular bone (AN), located on the medial side of the foot. Our research provides a first meta-analysis on this topic that establishes its frequency by contrasting 39 studies from across the globe.

METHODS

Up to February 2024, PubMed and Embase databases were thoroughly searched for research on the AN. Eligible data regarding AN prevalence was extracted. This study strictly adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 39 studies, 11,015 patients, and 36,837 feet were analyzed in our study. The pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) of AN was found to be 17.5% (95%CI: 11.5-25.7) and 12.6% (95%CI: 10.1-15.5) in patients and feet analyses, respectively. Accessory navicular occurred bilaterally in 50.0% of patients, with similar distribution in gender-based groups (21.1% of males and 22.0% of females were confirmed with AN). Accessory navicular was most prevalent in the East Asian population (38.4%) and least prevalent in North Americans (8.0%). No significant differences in AN prevalence were found when comparing different imaging modalities (X-ray and cadaver dissection).

CONCLUSION

Accessory navicular is a common finding in imaging studies. Its prevalence depends on the population covered by the study but is not affected by the patient's gender or the imaging modality utilized for AN assessment.

Morphological measurements and classification of the navicular bone: a study based on computed tomography imaging

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to present the classification of navicular bones and the anatomical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of navicular fractures of the foot.

METHOD

351 computed tomographic (CT) images of the navicular bone were analyzed and classified. The navicular bone's anatomical morphology was measured by three independent researchers in each type. Analysis and recording of the measurement results followed.

RESULT

Navicular bones were assorted into three types: I shape(37.04%), II shape(54.41%), and III shape(8.55%). The left and right sides did not differ in any appreciable ways, except ab, bc, and ∠abc (P < 0.05); And all data were statistically different between men and women except for ∠abc (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The classification of the navicular bone in this study may be helpful in making the treatment decision for navicular fracture.

LEVEL OF CLINICAL EVIDENCE

4.

Is Kidner procedure necessary during subtalar arthroereisis for pediatric flexible flatfoot that combined with symptomatic type 2 accessory navicular? A retrospective comparative study

BACKGROUND

Kidner procedure is thought to be able to eliminate the medial foot pain and contribute to restoring the medial longitudinal foot arch, making it particularly suitable for surgical treatment of pes planus that combined with symptomatic type 2 accessory navicular (AN). However, controversy remains, and the clinical evidence is still lacking. The aim of the current study is to verify the necessity of Kidner procedure during subtalar arthroereisis (STA) for pediatric flexible flatfoot (PFF) that combined with symptomatic type 2 AN.

METHODS

Forty pediatric patients (72 feet) who had undergone STA for flexible flatfoot and were also diagnosed with symptomatic type 2 AN concomitantly were reviewed retrospectively and divided into two groups (STA + Kidner vs STA alone). The visual analog scale (VAS), the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot Scale, the Oxford ankle foot questionnaire for children (OAFQC), and the radiographic parameters that quantifying pes planus were evaluated as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of complications.

RESULTS

There were 35 feet in the STA + Kidner group and 37 feet in the STA alone group, with mean follow-up periods of 2.7 years and 2.1 years, respectively. The VAS, AOFAS, OAFQC scores and radiographic parameters presented no significant difference between the two groups both preoperatively and at final follow-up (P > 0.05 for each). The complications of STA surgery occurred equally in both groups, and Kidner procedure could lead to more incision problems (22.9% vs. 2.7%) and a longer time to return to activity.

CONCLUSION

Kidner procedure may be unnecessary during surgical treatment of PFF that combined with painful type 2 AN. Correcting the PFF while leaving the AN alone has a high possibility of relieving the pain in the AN region, and tibialis posterior tendon (TPT) rerouting hardly aids in reconstruction of the medial foot arch.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

What is New in Pediatric Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle

BACKGROUND

This paper aims to report on the last 5 years of relevant research on pediatric foot and ankle pathology with specific focus on clubfoot, congenital vertical talus, toe walking, tarsal coalitions, pes planovalgus with or without accessory navicular, foot and ankle trauma, and talar dome osteochondritis dessicans.

METHODS

The Browzine platform was used to review the table of contents for all papers published in the following target journals related to the treatment of pediatric foot and ankle conditions. Search results were further refined to include clinical trials and randomized controlled trials published from March 1, 2015 to November 15, 2021.

RESULTS

A total of 73 papers were selected for review based on new findings and significant contributions in treatment of clubfoot, congenital vertical talus, toe walking, tarsal coalitions, pes planovalgus with or without accessory navicular, foot and ankle trauma, and talar dome osteochondritis dessicans. Also included were several papers that did not fit into any of these categories but provided new insight into specific foot and ankle pathologies.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment strategies for children with foot and ankle pathology are continually evolving. We review many of the most recent publications with the goal of improving understanding of these pathologies and highlighting current best practices.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Painful Accessory Navicular and Spring Ligament Injuries in Athletes

Painful accessory navicular and spring ligament injuries in athletes are different entities from more common posterior tibialis tendon problems seen in older individuals. These injuries typically affect running and jumping athletes, causing medial arch pain and in severe cases a pes planus deformity. Diagnosis requires a detailed physical examination, standing radiographs, and MRI. Initial treatment focuses on rest, immobilization, and restriction from sports. Orthotic insoles may alleviate minor pain, but many patients need surgery to expedite recovery and return to sports. The authors review their approach to these injuries and provide surgical tips along with expected rehabilitation to provide optimal outcomes.

How to increase the accuracy of the diagnosis of the accessory bone of the foot?

PURPOSE

The study was conducted to search for confident radiological signs in symptomatic cases of accessory bones. A normal accessory bone appearance on X-ray does not exclude that the accessory bone is the source of the discomfort; because of this, MRI examination can later be applied as part of the diagnosis.

METHODS

We retrospectively analysed cases of 64 patients with recognized 70 symptomatic accessory bones of the foot. The average age was 29.2 (range 8-42) years. We included only patients with X-ray and MRI examinations. We investigated the following radiological features of the bone (structural and signal) in relation to soft tissue.

RESULTS

The most constant symptoms identified in our study were bone marrow oedema (93%) and soft tissue oedema (77%). Changes in structures in which accessory bones were located or in adjacent structures to accessory bone were identified: tendon changes 51%, fluid adjacent to bone 51% and tenosynovitis 46%. MRI revealed changes in bone structure that are not seen on X-ray, including changes in contour (28%), sclerosis (3%) or osteonecrosis (3%).

CONCLUSIONS

MRI plays an important role in determining whether accessory bones cause symptoms because it shows specific and accurate changes in accessory bone and/or in adjacent soft tissue.

Genetic Influence on Accessory Navicular Bone in the Foot: A Korean Twin and Family Study

An accessory navicular bone (AN) is the most common accessory ossicle in the foot. The presence of an AN bone can trigger various foot problems, such as posterior tibial tendon pathology, flattening of the medial longitudinal arch, and medial foot pain. Despite the clinical influence of presence of an AN in foot disease, the research regarding its inheritance is still insufficient. A total of 135 pairs of monozygotic (MZ) twins, 25 pairs of dizygotic (DZ) twins, and 676 singletons from families were enrolled in order to estimate genetic influences on AN. After confirmation of zygosity and family relationship with a tandem repeat marker kit and questionnaires, the presence and type of the AN was classified through bilateral feet radiographic examination. The heritability of an AN was estimated using quantitative genetic analysis based on a variance decomposition model considering various types of family relationships: father–offspring pair, mother–offspring pair, and pooled DZ twin and sibling pairs. As a result, approximately 40.96% of the participants in this study had an AN in either foot, with type II being the most common type. The heritability for the presence of any type of an AN in any foot was estimated as 0.88 (95% CI [0.82, 0.94]) after adjusting for age and sex. Specifically, type II AN showed the highest heritability of 0.82 (95% CI [0.71–0.93]). The high heritability of an AN found in this large twin and family study suggests that an AN is determined by the substantial influence of genetic factor.