Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Female Speaker Representation at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meetings Over Time.

Background: Female representation among residents and practicing surgeons in orthopaedics remains disproportionately low at 19.3% and 7.4%, respectively.

Short-term Adverse Events Following Ankle Arthroplasty and Ankle Arthrodesis: A Matched Analysis of Recent Nationally Representative Data.

BackgroundSurgical management of ankle osteoarthritis (AOA) includes Ankle Arthrodesis (AA) or Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA). The purpose of this study was to analyze data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) to elucidate differences in outcomes between TAA and AA.MethodsPatients who underwent TAA or AA from January 2010 to December 2020 were included in this analysis.

Weightbearing Protocols and Outcomes in Open Surgical Management of Haglund Syndrome: A Large Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Following insertional Achilles tendinopathy debridement and Haglund prominence resection for Haglund syndrome, patients undergo varying degrees of weightbearing limitation (weightbearing as tolerated [WBAT], partial weightbearing [PWB], touchdown weightbearing [TDWB], and nonweightbearing [NWB]). Given the scarcity of large-scale literature on the topic, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of postoperative weightbearing protocols on outcomes after open surgical management of Haglund syndrome.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent open surgical management for Haglund syndrome between January 2015 and December 2023 at a single academic institution by fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons.

Complications Following Surgical Treatment of Haglund's Syndrome With and Without Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon Transfer.

Background: In the surgical treatment of Haglund syndrome, combining a flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon transfer with Achilles tendon may improve plantarflexion strength and reduce strain on the repaired Achilles tendon. However, there is limited research comparing complication rates between surgical approaches with or without concurrent FHL tendon transfer.

Methods: This was retrospective study of patients who underwent surgical management for Haglund syndrome between January 2015 and December 2023.

Categorizing Extremely Positive Five-Star Online Reviews for Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons: A Retrospective Study.

Background Multiple studies have emphasized the increased use of physician rating websites by patients when searching for surgeons to perform elective procedures. This study aimed to analyze the comments associated with online five-star patient reviews for orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons. Methods A retrospective analysis of five-star online reviews and corresponding comments using Vitals.

Higher BMI Is Associated With Wound Breakdown Following Resection of Haglund Deformity.

Background: Haglund deformity is characterized by an enlarged posterosuperior calcaneus, often with inflammation of the retrocalcaneal bursa and Achilles tendon. This study aims to determine if obesity is associated with an increased rate of complications after Haglund resection.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on patients who underwent surgical resection for Haglund deformity from January 2015 to December 2023 at a single academic center.

Initial Safety of Total Talus Replacement Used to Treat Talar Avascular Necrosis.

Background: Total talus replacement (TTR) implants are designed to replace the diseased talar anatomy, reduce pain, maintain ankle range of motion, and restore ankle function after conservative treatments have failed. Currently TTR implants are produced by 3D printing a patient-specific implant designed from the patient's preoperative anatomy. TTR surgery using patient-specific implants is a relatively new technique that remains understudied in the literature.

Hallux Rigidus: Update on Conservative Management.

Hallux rigidus is a degenerative arthritic condition affecting the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Prevalence in patients aged 50 years and above is estimated at 20% to 30%, with a portion being symptomatic. Conservative treatment's efficacy is linked to initial pain levels; though shoe modifications and insoles are commonly recommended, their true effectiveness lacks strong evidence.

Twelve-Year Progression of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus Observed Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Osteochondral lesions of the talus are common injuries that are most often the result of trauma. The natural progression of osteochondral lesions is not well understood. It is still unclear which lesions eventually lead to joint degeneration and osteoarthritic changes and if the treatment method affects the progression.

The Impact of Time and State Opioid Legislation on Opioid Prescription Filling in Total Ankle Arthroplasty.

Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is an increasingly utilized treatment for ankle arthritis, and opioids are commonly used as part of perioperative pain control. However, many states have enacted opioid-limiting legislation to reduce perioperative opioid prescribing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of time and state legislation on perioperative opioid prescribing in TAA.

Avascular Necrosis of the Talus After Subchondroplasty.

Background: Subchondroplasty (SCP) is a relatively new procedure, developed in 2007 for the treatment of bone marrow lesions (BMLs), that has shown promising results in the knee through several different case series. The foot and ankle literature, however, is sparse, with only a few documented case reports or case series. At our institution, we have identified several patients with complications after this specific procedure.

Clinical applications of custom 3D printed implants in complex lower extremity reconstruction.

Background: Three dimensional printing has greatly advanced over the past decade and has made an impact in several industries. Within the field of orthopaedic surgery, this technology has vastly improved education and advanced patient care by providing innovating tools to complex clinical problems. Anatomic models are frequently used for physician education and preoperative planning, and custom instrumentation can assist in complex surgical cases.

Hallux Valgus.

Hallux valgus is a common condition that results from a complex positional deformity of the first ray. The bunion or medial prominence that results from the lateral deviation and pronation of the hallux is only one component of the 3-dimensional deformity. Hallux valgus can lead to considerable pain and altered joint mechanics.

Osseointegrated Transcutaneous Device for Amputees: A Pilot Large Animal Model.

Traditional above-the-knee amputation prosthetics utilize a stump-socket interface that is well-known for skin/socket problems, sitting difficulty, disuse osteopenia, and increased work of ambulation. As a result, we evaluated a novel osseointegrated transcutaneous implant in a large animal. The implant was designed to promote osseointegration at the bone-implant interface and minimize complications.

Posterior Tibialis Tendon Rupture in a Closed Bimalleolar-Equivalent Ankle Fracture: Case Report.

Unlabelled: Ankle fractures with an associated posterior tibialis tendon (PTT) rupture are rare injuries and have only been described in a number of case reports. These prior reports include patients that had an open fracture and/or an associated medial malleolar fracture component. In this unique case report, we present a patient that sustained a closed bimalleolar-equivalent ankle fracture/dislocation without medial malleolar involvement which was irreducible due to a PTT rupture and subsequent distal segment interposition in the tibiotalar joint.

Acute Rupture Open Repair Techniques.

Achilles tendon injuries can be serious injuries requiring either operative or nonoperative management. For appropriate surgical candidates, operative intervention may provide lower rerupture rates and adequate end-to-end tendon healing. Our preference is an open Achilles tendon repair, specifically a limited open technique using the PARS device (Arthrex, Naples, FL).

Smartphone assessment of knee flexion compared to radiographic standards.

Background: Measuring knee range of motion (ROM) is an important assessment for the outcomes of total knee arthroplasty. Recent technological advances have led to the development and use of accelerometer-based smartphone applications to measure knee ROM. The purpose of this study was to develop, standardize, and validate methods of utilizing smartphone accelerometer technology compared to radiographic standards, visual estimation, and goniometric evaluation.

Operative Cost Comparison: Plating Versus Intramedullary Fixation for Clavicle Fractures.

Although clavicle fractures often heal well with nonoperative management, current literature has shown improved outcomes with operative intervention for specific fracture patterns in specific patient types. The 2 most common methods of midshaft clavicle fracture fixation are intramedullary and plate devices. Through retrospective analysis, this study performed a direct cost comparison of these 2 types of fixation at a single institution over a 5-year period.

Contamination Relative to the Activation Timing of Filtered-Exhaust Helmets.

Background: Filtered-exhaust helmet systems are commonplace during total joint arthroplasty, but their ability to limit intraoperative contamination has been questioned. We hypothesized that activation of the airflow system after complete gowning would lead to decreased contamination of the surgical environment.

Methods: Using a fluorescent particle model, the maximal particle spread from a filtered-exhaust helmet and contamination of the surgical environment based on timing of airflow activation through simulated surgical gowning procedures were evaluated.

Economic impact of syndesmosis hardware removal.

Ankle syndesmosis injuries are commonly seen with 5-10% of sprains and 10% of ankle fractures involving injury to the ankle syndesmosis. Anatomic reduction has been shown to be the most important predictor of clinical outcomes. Optimal surgical management has been a subject of debate in the literature.

Total ankle arthroplasty with severe preoperative varus deformity.

Advancements in total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) over the past several decades have led to improved patient outcomes and implant survivorship. Despite these innovations, many implant manufacturers still consider a preoperative coronal plane deformity greater than 10° a relative contraindication to TAA. Without proper intraoperative alignment, these implants may experience abnormal wear and hardware failure.

Topical Review: Use of Fetal Tissue in Foot and Ankle Surgery.

Unlabelled: Fetal tissues are well known for their therapeutic potential. They contain numerous growth factors, cytokines, and matrix components that promote regeneration of tissues while downregulating inflammation and scar formation. As a result, use of these treatments has expanded over the previous 20 years throughout various surgical specialties, including orthopaedics.

Cryopreserved human amniotic membrane injection for plantar fasciitis: a randomized, controlled, double-blind pilot study.

Background: Treatment options for plantar fasciitis have resulted in varied patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare a novel treatment, cryopreserved human amniotic membrane (c-hAM), to a traditional treatment, corticosteroid. Our hypothesis was that c-hAM would be safe and comparable to corticosteroids for plantar fasciitis in regard to patient outcomes.

Effect of Dorsal Plate Positioning on Dorsiflexion Angle in Arthrodesis of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint: A Cadaveric Study.

Background: The relationship between dorsal plate positioning and final dorsiflexion angle after first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint fusion has not been well established. The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether changes in dorsal plate positioning along the longitudinal axis affect fusion dorsiflexion angle, as excessive dorsiflexion angles can lead to poor clinical results.

Methods: Ten cadaver foot specimens were randomly assigned to 2 groups for first MTP joint fusion: 1 group used a straight plate, and the other group used a 10-degree precontoured plate.