Lindgren–Turan Osteotomy Outperforms Chevron in Surgical Speed and IMA Correction, Suggests RCT
A recent randomized controlled trial published in the Indian Journal of Orthopaedics in September 2026 demonstrates that Lindgren–Turan osteotomy provides significantly shorter surgical times and superior intermetatarsal angle correction (p < 0.001) over chevron osteotomy for mild-to-moderate hallux valgus. Crucially, both techniques delivered comparable six-month functional recovery, highlighting Lindgren–Turan osteotomy as an efficient surgical alternative.
Surgical management of mild-to-moderate hallux valgus frequently relies on distal metatarsal procedures such as chevron osteotomy, yet ongoing debate regarding operative duration, degree of radiographic correction, and comparative procedural safety underscores a distinct clinical evidence gap. To address this uncertainty, Cihan Sevim and colleagues designed a trial aiming to evaluate and compare the clinical, radiological, surgical, and safety outcomes of LT osteotomy against chevron osteotomy in this patient cohort.
Therefore, the prospective, randomized controlled trial evaluated 76 patients with mild-to-moderate hallux valgus assigned equally to undergo either Lindgren–Turan (n = 38) or chevron osteotomy (n = 38). Preoperative and six-month postoperative assessments evaluated functional recovery and radiographic alignment, with post-treatment intermetatarsal angle designated as the primary endpoint.
Key Clinical Findings of the Study Includes:
- Operative Efficiency: Researchers demonstrated that surgical duration was significantly shorter in the LT group compared to the chevron group (p < 0.001).
- Radiographic Alignment: Investigators observed that six-month postoperative IMA values were significantly lower following LT osteotomy, demonstrating superior radiological correction relative to chevron osteotomy (p < 0.001).
- Functional Performance: Authors reported no statistically significant differences in six-month functional recovery scores, including AOFAS, Maryland, and Martin measures, between the two intervention arms.
- Procedural Safety: Analysts documented low overall complication rates across both cohorts, indicating favorable short-term safety for both techniques.
The results suggest that LT osteotomy achieves significantly lower six-month intermetatarsal angles (p < 0.001) and shorter operative durations (p < 0.001) than chevron osteotomy while delivering equivalent six-month functional recovery scores. Consequently, orthopedic surgeons can achieve enhanced radiographic alignment and surgical efficiency without compromising short-term patient-reported clinical outcomes.
Thus, the study concludes clinicians evaluating surgical techniques for mild-to-moderate hallux valgus may consider LT osteotomy as an advantageous procedure capable of reducing operative time and improving intermetatarsal angle correction while maintaining comparable functional recovery.
Although observed complication rates were low across both surgical groups, the trial was not statistically powered to establish definitive conclusions regarding comparative safety, highlighting the value of future larger-scale prospective studies with extended follow-up periods to further validate these findings.
Reference
Sevim C, Erturk C, Diril SK, Guclu SA, Sahin A. Is Lindgren–Turan Osteotomy as Safe and Effective as Chevron Osteotomy for Mild-to-Moderate Hallux Valgus? A Prospective Randomized-Controlled Study. Indian Journal of Orthopaedics. Published online September 11, 2026.
