From Arthroereisis to Osteoereisis: A Nomenclature Proposal for a Misnamed Surgical Procedure

The surgical procedure currently known as arthroereisis has been performed for decades as a treatment for recurrent talotarsal dislocation sequela in both pediatric and adult populations, yet its name has never been formally challenged despite being etymologically and anatomically inaccurate. The term derives from the Greek arthro (joint) and ereisis (to lift or support), implying joint-level action that does not reflect the primary mechanism of the procedure. The sinus tarsi implant—and the family of interventions grouped under this designation—acts not on a joint surface as its primary mechanism but on the talar body itself, physically elevating and realigning the talus as a whole bone within a non-articular ligamentous and fibroadipose corridor, producing a cascade of peritalar corrections across the subtalar, talonavicular, calcaneocuboid, and talocrural joints as secondary consequences of this primary osseous repositioning. Radiographic evidence from unilateral cases demonstrates measurable osseous talar elevation on the treated limb compared to the contralateral untreated limb on weight-bearing views, consistent with the bone-level primary corrective effect. This article proposes the adoption of the term osteoereisis—from the Greek osteo (bone) and ereisis (to lift or support)—as an anatomically precise and mechanism-based replacement that correctly identifies the talus as the primary object of surgical effect. The term is explicitly device-agnostic and encompasses all surgical and conservative interventions that achieve bone-level osseous realignment of the primary articulating bone toward its physiologically normal position. The author invites collegial discussion of this proposal within the podiatric, orthopedic, and foot and ankle surgical community.