Mueller Weiss disease is a uncommon source of pain in the mid-foot in adults that has been also referred to as Brailsford disease. Mueller Weiss Syndrome is a sudden onset osteonecrosis of the tarsal navicular within the foot. You will find there's a more well-known problem of the navicular bone in young childen known as Köhler disease, which is also an osteonecrosis in the tarsal navicular bone, however they are different entities because of the character with the developing bone tissues in children. The disease was first described by Schmidt in1925. Then it was W Muller whom later suggested how the underlying mechanism with the disorder was as a result of an unnatural compression force in the midfoot region. About the same period, K Weiss, described how the appearances on x-ray were much like those seen in a condition referred to as Kienbock disease, and this is an osteonecrosis. The two of these publications resulted in the most frequently used term for this disorder, Mueller Weiss syndrome.
Mueller Weiss syndrome typically affects adults between 40 and 60 years of age (Köhler disease has a common onset around five years of age). Mueller Weiss disease seems to be more common in women. It can affect only one foot, or it might have an affect on both feet. The traditional signs and symptoms are the slow oncoming of pain in the midfoot and rearfoot that can often be localized to the most agonizing place being about the navicular. A flatter foot is in addition more prevalent in those with this problem. The best method to identify Mueller Weiss disorder is by the use of imaging. On x-ray there will probably appear to be a crush of portions of the navicular and a whiteness with comma-shaped deformity on the outside part. A CT scan also can demonstrate the same irregularities and can be helpful to look at the stage of the condition in a lot more depth. A MRI is usually a lot more responsive to aid in the verification because it is able to find variations in the bone tissues.
Mueller Weiss disorder is generally progressive and might result in significant pain and be very debilitating, and so treatment should be started as quickly as possible in order to avoid the bone from being impaired too much. Primary treatment is to restrict weight bearing, maybe some pain relief medications and use supportive footwear. Usually foot orthotics are used to help further stabilise the area and support the mid-foot (arch) of the foot. This keeps a lot of pressure off of the navicular. If that's not necessarily helping, after that even more restriction in weight bearing amounts is needed which means that there is much less force around the painful bone. A moon boot or walking brace will be the next phase to further protect as well as immobilise the area if the signs and symptoms may not be getting better. If these types of conservative approaches tend not to help, then there are surgical possibilities that will help with the soreness however may often result in some minor impairment, that is more desirable than the persistent soreness of an active condition. The particular surgical procedure can be a decompression of the bone tissue using drilling. Another option if there are areas of bone destruction can be a surgical fusion of the important joints round the damaged bone..