Accessory Navicular
Accessory navicular describes the presence of an extra bone growth center on the inside of the navicular and within the posterial tibial tendon that attaches to the navicular. The primary symptom from this additional bony prominence is pain and tenderness.
This congenital defect (present at birth) is thought to occur during development when the bone is calcifying. Because this accessory portion of the bone and the navicular never quite grow together, it is believed that, over time, the excessive motion between the two bones results in pain.
The initial treatment approach for accessory navicular is non-operative. An orthotic may be recommended or the patient may undergo a brief period of casting to rest the foot. For chronic pain, however, the orthopedic surgeon removes the extra bone, a relatively simple surgery with a brief rehabilitation period and a very good success rate.
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Accessory Navicular Success Stories
References
- Murphy, Robert F. MD; Van Nortwick, Sara S. MD; Jones, Richard MD; Mooney, James F. III MD. Evaluation and Management of Common Accessory Ossicles of the Foot and Ankle in Children and Adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 29(7):p e312-e321, April 1 2021.
- Geist, Emil MD. The Accessory Scaphoid Bone. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 7(3):p 570-574, July 1925.
- Dobbs MB, Walton T. Autosomal dominant transmission of accessory navicular. Iowa Orthop J. 2004;24:84-5.
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