Foot & ankle specialist
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Foot & ankle specialist · Apr 2015
Case ReportsJoint salvage after neglected intra-articular physeal fracture of the hallux in high-level gymnasts.
Chronic sports-related injuries involving the hallux are well known in adult populations. However, they are less frequently described in adolescents. We present 2 cases of elite-level gymnasts with neglected Salter-Harris IV fractures involving the proximal phalanx of the great toe following a severe hyperextension injury to the metatarsophalangeal joint. Both were successfully treated with open reduction and internal fixation with return to pre-injury level of activity, improvement in outcome scores, and demonstration of no disability from injury 2 years after surgical intervention. ⋯ Therapeutic, Level IV: Case Series.
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Foot & ankle specialist · Apr 2015
Driving reaction times in patients with foot and ankle pathology before and after image-guided injection: pain relief without improved function.
Foot and ankle pathology is common in the driving population. Local anesthetic steroid injections are frequent ambulatory treatments. Brake reaction time (BRT) has validated importance in motor vehicle safety. There are no prior studies examining the effect of foot and ankle pathology and injection treatment on the safe operation of motor vehicles. We studied BRT in patients with foot and ankle musculoskeletal disease before and after image-guided injection treatment. ⋯ Therapeutic, Level II: Prospective Comparative Study.
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Foot & ankle specialist · Dec 2014
ReviewBalancing the risk of complications in foot and ankle surgical patients taking antithrombotic medication.
This review intends to provide guidance regarding perioperative management of anticoagulation and antiplatelet drug therapy as they relate to foot and ankle surgery. Venous and arterial thromboembolism are conditions in which the blood clots inappropriately, causing considerable morbidity and mortality. With an increase in awareness of thromboembolic risk factors and expansion of therapeutic options, more patients are routinely taking antithrombotic medication. When these patients require invasive procedures, a decision needs to be made if antithrombotic medication should be held perioperatively and if additional precautions are needed in the interim. Understanding the factors affecting the management of thromboembolism during the perioperative period can reduce the potential for complications. ⋯ Therapeutic, Level V: Expert opinion.
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Foot & ankle specialist · Oct 2014
Case ReportsOpen fracture dislocation of the talus with total extrusion: a case report.
Open fractures with complete extrusion of talus are high-energy injuries. While treating these injuries, union of the fracture, vascularity of the body, and possibility of infection are main issues predicting less favorable outcomes. At present, there are no recommended treatment protocols for the management of such injuries. Early debridement, wound care, anatomic reduction, and adequate fixation are key factors in the management of compound injuries of the talus. There are few reports in the literature on successful reimplantation of talus when it is completely extruded. Encouraging functional outcomes of reimplantation of extruded talus suggest that excision of the talus with or without tibiocalcaneal fusion should be kept as a salvage procedure. We report a case of a farmer who sustained fracture of the talar neck. Both head and body fragments were completely extruded from the wound on the anterolateral aspect of the ankle. The patient was treated 18 hours postinjury. Thorough debridement of wound and bony fragments was done. Talus was reimplanted and fixation was performed with Kirschner wires. At 3-year follow-up, satisfactory functional outcome was noted with AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) score of 83 and MOXFQ (Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire) scale score of 23. The purpose of presenting this case is to demonstrate the successful outcome of reimplantation of talus. ⋯ Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study.
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Foot & ankle specialist · Oct 2014
Missed peritalar injuries: an analysis of factors in cases of known delayed diagnosis and methods for improving identification.
Because of the complex anatomy of the foot, rarity of fractures of the foot, and subtle radiographic cues, foot injuries are commonly overlooked and mis/undiagnosed. This study seeks to investigate a patient population whose peritalar injuries, including fractures and dislocations, were missed on initial examination, in order to analyze factors of known, missed injuries and provide insight into methods for reducing the incidence of missed diagnoses. Surgical cases between January 1999 and May 2011 were queried and retrospectively reviewed to identify missed peritalar injuries. Of 1682 surgical cases reviewed, 27 patients with missed peritalar injury(ies), which were subsequently confirmed by imaging studies, were identified. Using the Orthopaedic Trauma Association classification, fracture and dislocation subtypes were classified. A medical record review was performed to assess demographic and surgical data elements. In this study population, 7 types of peritalar injuries (talus, calcaneal, navicular, and cuboid fractures as well as subtalar, calcaneocuboid, and talonavicular joint dislocations) were diagnosed in 27 patients. All patients required surgical intervention. Talus fractures were the most commonly missed injury. In patients with multiple peritalar injuries, there was a strong correlation between talus and navicular fractures (r = -0.60; P < .01) as well as a moderate correlation between talus fractures and calcaneocuboid dislocations (r = -0.46; P = .02). The presence of a calcaneal fracture significantly decreased the time to definitive diagnosis (P = .01). Male patients' diagnoses were delayed an average of 324 days and females 105 days (P = .04). A moderate correlation was found between patient age at injury and time to diagnosis (r = -0.47; P = .04), with a decreased time to diagnosis as patient age increased. Significant factors were identified in this patient population, including patient sex and age, which may contribute to missed or delayed diagnosis in the clinical setting. Prompt and accurate diagnosis of peritalar injuries may improve long-term outcomes. ⋯ Care Management, Level V.