Diagnostic Value of Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging After Acute Lateral Ankle Injury.

We report a retrospective study of 171 consecutive patients with a lateral ankle sprain. All the patients with direct or blunt force trauma were excluded. Within 21 days of injury, 115 (67.25%) patients had undergone magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate for more serious or significant injuries. The average patient age was 44.09 years. Of the 115 patients, 75 (65.23%) had findings noted to be "significant." MRI can serve as a valuable and underused tool in the evaluation of acute lateral ankle injuries. The underuse of MRI might explain the high degree of variability in patients recovering from a lateral ankle sprain.

Surgical Resection of Bilateral Coalition of the Third and Fourth Metatarsals: A Case Report.

An intermetatarsal coalition is an uncommon pathologic entity, previously reported in published studies as being primarily unilateral, most commonly between the first and second metatarsals and less so between the third and fourth metatarsals. We report an unusual case of a bilateral coalition of the third and fourth metatarsals in a 43-year-old male who presented with nonspecific dorsolateral foot pain. Conservative therapy initially failed, and resolution of pain was noted bilaterally after coalition resection.

Association of Vitamin D With Stress Fractures: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Vitamin D is an essential, fat-soluble nutrient that is a key modulator of bone health. Despite the gaining popularity throughout published medical studies, no consensus has been reached regarding a serum vitamin D level that will guarantee adequate skeletal health in a patient with an increased functional demand. The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the serum concentrations of vitamin D in patients with confirmed stress fractures. A total of 124 patients were included in our retrospective cohort study. Of the 124 patients, 53 had vitamin D levels measured within 3 months of diagnosis. An association was seen in patients with a stress fracture and vitamin D level measured, as 44 (83.02%) of the 53 patients had a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level <40 ng/mL. Although an association was seen at our institution in patients with stress fractures and a serum vitamin D concentration <40 ng/mL, a larger and prospective investigation is warranted to further understand the effect of vitamin D level and stress fracture prevention in an active, nonmilitary population.

Lyme Disease Manifestations in the Foot and Ankle: A Retrospective Case Series.

Lyme disease is the result of Borrelia burgdorferi bacterial infection after exposure from a tick bite. A pathognomonic finding in early-stage Lyme disease is an expanding, red macular ring known as erythema migrans. Lyme arthritis is a late-stage manifestation of this disease, affecting the large, weightbearing joints with intermittent pain and swelling. The existing data on Lyme disease and subsequent arthritis have reported manifestations in the lower extremity, primarily in the knee and ankle and less commonly the small joints of the foot. We present a retrospective case series of 11 cases of painful arthritis in the foot and ankle with confirmatory Lyme disease testing.

Functional reconstruction of a calcaneal deficit due to osteomyelitis with femoral head allograft and tendon rebalance.

Calcaneal osteomyelitis is one of the most devastating complications encountered with the surgical treatment of calcaneal fractures. Previous treatments have focused on infection ablation, followed by either bracing or amputation. Few reports have focused on a staged procedure and ultimate functional reconstruction of the calcaneus. The case presented utilized a flexor hallucis longus tendon transfer with reattachment of the Achilles tendon, and implantation of a femoral head allograft. At 24 month follow-up, the patient was able to return to all pre-injury activities, without bracing or assistance.