Foot/Ankle News

Results from this retrospective study showed more than half of patients had pain and loss of tibiofibular overlap 5 years after syndesmosis screw fixation of ankle fractures with associated syndesmotic disruptions and linked increased patient age with pain and dissatisfaction with the procedure.

Results of this study correlated the postoperative subtalar range of motion in patients who underwent open surgery for calcaneal fractures with Foot and Ankle Disability Index and SF-36 physical component summary scores and the subtalar joint quality of reduction as analyzed on postoperative CT scans.

Geriatric patients with ankle fractures experienced lower 1-year morbidity compared with peers who sustained hip fractures or had an alternative admitting diagnosis, according to researchers of this study, even after they accounted for both age and comorbidity.

Recently published data indicated hemiepiphysiodesis performed with a transphyseal medial malleolar screw is effective for the management of ankle valgus in pediatric patients, but investigators noted an 81.8% rate of recurrent ankle valgus after screw removal.

A survey of patients who underwent surgical excision of tarsal coalitions at age 18 years or younger showed 73% reported their activity was not inhibited by foot pain at midterm follow-up, and investigators found no significant differences in patient-reported outcomes between those treated for calcaneonavicular and talocalcaneal conditions.

Results of a retrospective study of patients who underwent primary and revision total joint arthroplasty and received warfarin as prophylaxis showed most symptomatic pulmonary emboli occurred during the first week following arthroplasty.

A 44-year-old male Army service member presented to the emergency department with acute onset of right ankle pain and weakness during a game of kickball. He described inadvertently catching his foot on the ground while attempting to strike the ball, which resulted in a fixed plantarflexion and audible pop. Afterward, he noted immediate onset of severe pain, swelling, and inability to lift his ankle or bear weight without assistance. He denied any antecedent ankle pain or prior injuries, and his medical history was only significant for well-controlled hypertension. The patient had no history of prodromal symptoms.

The increased use of fluoroscopy was not correlated with patient characteristics; resident year of training and fracture complexity demonstrated statistically significant associations with increasing fluoroscopic image acquisition, according to study results.

LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom — Functional, nonsurgical management of an Achilles tendon rupture offered patients minimal disruption of day-to-day activities and good functional outcomes following the injury, according to a presentation here by a specialist orthopaedic registrar.

Recently published data indicate that hallux valgus deformity had a recurrence rate of 30%, and a high final hallux valgus angle leads to higher levels of pain.