Foot/Ankle News

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Patients undergoing complex foot and ankle surgery can be safely and more cost-effectively managed postoperatively as an outpatient, according to study findings presented here.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Both middle-aged patients and geriatric patients experienced improvement in clinical outcome parameters following total ankle arthroplasty, according to results presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting, here.

LONG BEACH, Calif. —  A modular two-component implant was found to be more effective both clinically and radiographically compared with standard K-wire fixation for hammertoe correction, pain reduction, quality of life improvement and ambulatory activity, according to data presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with intramedullary nailing without preparation of the subtalar joint offered clinical results similar to those produced with subtalar joint cartilage resection, resulting in decreased pain and a shorter duration of surgery, according to data presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Metatarsus adductus may increase the risk of the radiographic recurrence of hallux valgus deformity regardless of the surgical procedure performed, according to data presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Patients who are operatively treated for Achilles tendon ruptures returned to active duty quicker, however, there were no differences in complications compared with patients who were treated nonoperatively, according to data presented here.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — Nearly one-third of patients who presented to an academic medical center with foot and ankle-related complaints lacked the necessary musculoskeletal heath literacy required to make informed decisions regarding their care, according to data presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting.

LONG BEACH, Calif. — There is considerable noncompliance with postoperative non-weight bearing following major foot and ankle reconstruction surgery despite patients being provided instructions and education about the possible complications associated with noncompliant, according to study results presented here at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting.

The increasing burden and the immense financial impact of periprosthetic joint infection compel the orthopedic community to seek all potential infection control measures. Based on the teachings of Sir John Charnley and the literature from the early era of total joint arthroplasty, orthopedic surgeons are aware that an ultra-clean OR environment is critical to minimize the number of airborne particulate matters that can contaminate the wound and lead to infection of the implanted foreign material. It is known that airborne and non-airborne bacterial contaminations are the major source of infection in ORs.

Treatment of supination external rotation type IV equivalent ankle fractures with posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament repair showed improvement in immediate postoperative syndesmotic reduction and eliminated the need for reoperation to remove transsyndesmotic screws, according to study results.