Long term follow-up and development of foot complaints in a surgically treated mirror foot-A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Mirror foot is a rare anomaly and limited long term follow-up information is available.

METHODS: Seven years after operation a mirror foot patient returned with foot complaints and was evaluated using radiographs and clinical examination. A systematic literature search was conducted to study foot complaints in mirror feet.

RESULTS: Different origins of foot pain were considered in our patient; tibia length difference, deformed talus and accessory osseous structures in the tarsal region. Literature search resulted in 118 mirror feet. Based on cases reporting osseous structures, 74.2% showed tibia abnormalities and 94.5% an abnormal tarsal region. Only three cases mentioned a normal talus. Nine cases reported a follow-up period of more than five years.

CONCLUSION: Osseous abnormalities are not always visible at birth, but are often present. Therefore, detailed examination of the affected limb in mirror foot patients with foot pain is important, in order to localize the origin.