Foot & Ankle International

We report a method of Achilles tendon reconstruction using a free quadriceps bone-tendon graft. The patient had a prior repair of a re-ruptured Achilles tendon, following which he developed massive necrosis of his skin and Achilles tendon leaving a 10 cm defect. First stage reconstruction consisted of soft tissue coverage of the skin defect with a sural fasciocutaneous flap. Reconstruction of the Achilles tendon followed, with the patellar bone block fixed to the calcaneus and the quadriceps tendon sutured proximally.

This study was designed to compare the tensile strength of ruptured Achilles tendons repaired using either the triple bundle technique or the Krakow locking loop technique. Eight pairs of fresh frozen cadaveric Achilles tendons were harvested. A simulated “Achilles tendon rupture” was created 4 cm from the calcaneal insertion in all sixteen tendons by transversely cutting the tendon with a scalpel. One Achilles tendon “rupture” of a pair was repaired using the triple bundle technique, while the other tendon of the pair was repaired using the Krakow locking loop technique. Then, using a servohydraulic testing machine, each tendon was tested to failure in tension at a displacement rate of 2.54 cm/sec. The average rupture load for the triple bundle technique was 453 N (range 397 ñ 549 N), while the average rupture load for the Krakow locking loop technique was 161 N (range 121 ñ 216 N). This difference in averages represents a statistically significant superiority of 2.8 to 1 (p < 0.001) in favor of the triple bundle technique.

We carried out an experiment to measure the relationship between tensile force in the tendoachilles and plantar fascia strain, and how this relationship is affected by the metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion angle. Eight cadaver lower extremity specimens underwent biomechanical testing. Using a servo-hydraulic testing machine, a tensile force up to 500 N was applied to the tendoachilles while the strain on the plantar fascia was measured using an extensometer. The experiment was repeated at four different metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion angles (0°, 5°, 30°, and 45°). Measurements and calculations showed that dorsiflexion of the toes tightens the plantar fascia (the windlass effect) and increases the effect that a tensile force in the tendoachilles has on the tensile strain and tensile force in the plantar fascia.

Clinical and radiographic data were analyzed for 49 surgical interventions of painful heel syndrome with a mean follow-up of 4 years and 7 months. In all patients the surgical procedure consisted of a triangular shaped resection of the posterosuperior portion of the calcaneus. The clinical evaluation showed disappointing results with complete relief of complaints in only 34 procedures (69.4%), and 7 patients (14.3%) with even a worsening of their symptoms. The time course of rehabilitation was long with an average of 6 months of functionally significant pain after surgery, reducing the willingness to undergo this operation again. Formerly published angular thresholds of radiographic calcaneal angles could not be confirmed to be predictors for the preoperative symptoms or the postoperative outcome. There was no accumulation of pathologic clinical foot shapes, only a slight increased calcaneal pitch in patients with isolated pain on the posterosuperior lateral part of the calcaneus. According to Haglund's description of painful heel syndrome, the clinical picture of our patients included affections of bone, tendon, peritendon, bursae, soft tissue and skin in different combinations.

Based on this evaluation, we advise to be cautious to indicate the operation. All possibilities of conservative treatment should be performed prior to surgery.

Although the potential for musculoskeletal symptoms in hysteric conversion disorder was recognized by Sigmund Freud, reports of it in the orthopaedic literature have been limited to upper extremity manifestations. This study reports 3 cases which illustrate hysteric conversion presenting as primary foot and ankle complaints. Given its relative rarity, it is a diagnosis that is easy to miss. Clinical clues to its diagnosis and accepted methods of treatment are discussed. It is important to realize that this condition arises from an unconscious conflict and does not represent a voluntary falsification of symptoms. As such, confrontational treatment is not generally successful.

Foot and ankle operations are being performed with greater frequency as outpatient procedures. Although the surgical procedure remains the same whether the operation is done in an inpatient or an oupatient setting, the anesthesia and postoperative analgesia are greatly affected when patients must be discharged soon after their operation. We have evaluated a regional anesthetic technique which blocks the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa and the saphenous nerve block at the knee. This was the sole anesthetic technique for both the operation and the immediate postoperative period. This technique appears to have several advantages: 1) Excellent anesthesia during the operation and for about ten hours postoperatively; 2) Use of a proximal calf tourniquet, and 3) Absence of systemic or local complications as might be seen with general, spinal or epidural anesthesia.

Macrodactyly can affect the fingers and/or toes1. Histopathologic examination will distinguish macrodactylia fibrolipomatosis or neural fibrolipoma with macrodactyly, from macrodactylia as a part of neurofibromatosis. Surgical repair is aimed at decreasing the size of the affected foot so it is as near in size and shape to the normal foot as possible. Surgical approaches have included reconstructive surgery (usually staged debulking procedures), epiphyseal plate arrest and amputation. Repeated reconstructive surgical procedures, as illustrated in this report covering patient care over a 15 year period, are usually necessary due to recurring soft tissue and boney enlargement.

Numerous surgical and non-operative approaches have been used to treat chronic recurrent subluxation of the peroneal tendons in adult athletes. There have been no published reports of surgical repair in children. In this report on a skeletally immature patient a modification of the Chrisman-Snook ³ procedure (previously described for lateral ligament reconstruction) is described to correct recurrent subluxation of the peroneal tendons. KEYWORDS

Twenty-four patients with distal tibial growth disturbance were reviewed. Disturbances were classified as physeal bar (prior to deformity), angular, linear or combined deformities. Treatment consisted of osteotomy in fourteen, epiphyseodesis in seven, excision of bony bar in two, and observation in one patient. Follow up was an average 36.6 months (range 4–129 months) after treatment of growth disturbance. The age at time of injury was 10.4 years of age average (range 3–15 years). There were 12 SH2, 2 SH3, 7 SH4, and 3 SH5 distal tibial physeal fractures. Thirteen of 15 fractures considered high energy and only 1 of 9 fractures considered low energy resulted in angular deformity. Angular and linear deformities presented an average 46 months (range 12–120 months) and physeal bars at an average 14 months (range 6–25 months) after injury. Patients with a delay in presentation of growth disturbance greater than 24 months had angular deformities in 92% compared with 33% in children presenting less than or at 24 months. Treatment based on type of deformity, age at time of injury, and growth remaining was considered successful in 83%.

Patients with angular or linear deformities were more likely to present late, have high energy injuries, be male patients and have Salter-Harris types IV and V. Early diagnosis and treatment of growth disturbance can prevent severe deformity.

Nine patients (13 feet) were identified whose primary complaints were of atraumatic-onset, chronic pain in the hindfoot exacerbated with increased activity and who had the diagnosis of idiopathic rigid flatfeet. Eight of 11 were greater than the 95^th percentile in weight for their age. Exam under anesthesia showed moderate to significant improvement in hindfoot motion in 9 feet; 4 feet required fractional peroneal lengthenings. Only 5 of 11 patients have had sustained relief of pain and report unlimited activity level.

Children and adolescents with painful idiopathic rigid flatfeet without known causation can have significant, persistent, disability and do not uniformly respond well to traditionally-described nonoperative interventions.

Study Design: Human tibial plafond cadaveric specimens were coronally sectioned and imaged to assess the accuracy of evaluation of ankle joint line congruity using anteroposterior radiography. Two interesting representative clinical cases are discussed.

Objectives: To evaluate the validity of the routine use of anteroposterior radiographs to evaluate intra-operative ankle joint line congruity in circumstances where lateral radiographs are infeasible due to obscuring internal or external hardware.

Methods: Eleven frozen human cadaveric lower extremity specimens were used in this study. At the level of the tibial plafond, the specimens were sequentially sliced into 0.5cm sections in the coronal plane. True anteroposterior radiographs were taken with the specimen en bloc. Sequentially, the posterior slices were removed one by one, with an image taken after removing each section. The process was then repeated by removing the anterior sections sequentially with intervening radiographs. Each series of anteroposterior radiographs was then evaluated to characterize which portion of the joint line on the whole specimen view had been contributed by each of the sections. This then allowed us to make inferences about the evaluation of the joint line if it had been derived solely by anteroposterior radiography. Two poignant clinical cases demonstrating the clinical relevance of this information are discussed.

Results: By sequentially imaging after removing coronal sections of the tibial plafond we were able to accurately characterize the contribution of each portion of the plafond to the overall anteroposterior view. By primarily imaging the anterior portions of the plafond, with the posterior portions removed, the joint line image was virtually unchanged from the en bloc anteroposterior radiograph. However, removal of the anterior coronal sections caused large variation in the joint line Image. These observations demonstrate that the anteroposterior radiograph of the tibial plafond characterizes the anterior portion of the joint well, while it represents a poor assessment of the posterior portion of the joint. This was well illustrated in our clinical case presentations.

Conclusion: In severe fractures of the tibial plafond multiple forms of internal and external devices are frequently used for fixation. In these circumstances hardware may obscure the lateral view making it impossible to obtain adequate lateral radiographs to assess fracture reduction and joint line congruity. In this scenario, the anteroposterior radiograph is frequently relied upon to confirm the anatomic relationship of the displaced fragments. However, this view fails to accurately characterize reduction in the entire joint line and, intra-operatively, may mislead the surgeon to accept a reduction as anatomic when intra-articular incongruity still exists. Strict attention to pre-operative radiographs and the use of additional rotated views may aid the surgeon in this setting to assess fracture reduction and joint line congruence.

A clear plastic surgical bag which has an incorporated closure string may be used to contain fluid during jet lavage irrigation of foot and ankle wounds. This method may prevent fluid from spraying about, improving barrier precautions for both patient and operating room personnel.