The effects of medial and lateral displacement calcaneal osteotomies on ankle and subtalar joint pressure distribution.

We compared the pressure distribution in the ankle and posterior facet of the subtalar joint following 1 cm medial and lateral displacement calcaneal osteotomies to the pressure distribution in the intact foot. Six cadaver specimens were loaded in neutral alignment while pressure measurements were recorded. A 1-cm medial displacement osteotomy shifted the average center of force in the ankle 1.0 mm medially (p = 0.36) while a lateral displacement osteotomy shifted the center of force 1.1 mm laterally (p = 0.42). There was also a slight shift in the percentage of pressure toward the side of the talus to which the calcaneus was shifted. For the lateral displacement osteotomy, the pressure increased 4.0% in the lateral-most quadrant (p = 0.05), while the medial osteotomy increased the pressure 1.3% in the medial quadrant (p = 0.30). In the subtalar joint, a medial displacement osteotomy shifted the pressure distribution slightly medially (5.9%, p = 0.06) and more anteriorly (9.6%, p = 0.02) while the distribution was shifted laterally (5.9%, p = 0.17) and anteriorly (5.6%, p = 0.03) with a lateral displacement osteotomy. These shifts of percentage of pressure between quadrants of the joints were slight-less than 5% in the ankle and less than 10% in the subtalar joint. Significant translation of the calcaneal tuberosity appears to have only a small effect on pressure distribution in the ankle and posterior facet of the subtalar joint in a weighted cadaver model.

Plantar pressure and radiographic changes after distal calcaneal lengthening in children and adolescents.

Eleven feet (nine patients) with symptomatic flatfoot deformities of various etiologies that had failed nonoperative treatment underwent distal calcaneal lengthenings. Pre- and postoperative plantar pressure measurements and radiographic parameters were compared and a postoperative clinical evaluation was performed using the AOFAS ankle and hindfoot scoring system. Follow-up ranged from 4 to 20 months (mean, 11.1 months). Plantar pressure parameters including contact area, mean, and peak pressures indicated significant lateral shifts in the weight-bearing surface of the foot. The most significant radiographic changes were an improvement in the talonavicular coverage angle (mean, 17.3 degrees) on the anteroposterior view and an improvement in the talo-first metatarsal angle (16.2 degrees) on the lateral view. The average postoperative American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society score was 90 with seven excellent, three good, and one poor results.

Beneficiary profiles and service consumption patterns in an urban Medicaid home and community-based waiver program.

The research reported here was conducted as part of a larger program evaluation of an urban Medicaid Home and Community Based-Waiver Program (HCBS). Informed by a secondary analysis of data collected on 723 clients, this article describes the association between client demographics and service consumption patterns among program beneficiaries with emphasis on access to care issues. The majority of the clients were female, African American, nearly 80 years of age, receiving approximately $600 of monthly income. Although White clients on average were higher functioning, they were hospitalized more frequently and took more medications than African American or Hispanic clients. Clients who were bedbound, Hispanic, and most dependent in performing activities of daily living received the fewest "number of services." Clients who suffered the most severe intellectual impairment, living with a spouse, and with the highest incomes received the most "units of service." Interestingly, service usage did not always increase as the client became more dependent in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), and mobility. The significance of findings is considered in relation to access to care issues.

Stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal after Evans' calcaneal osteotomy: a report of two cases.

The Evans calcaneal lengthening osteotomy has gained popularity in recent years for the treatment of symptomatic flexible pes planus deformity. To our knowledge, the occurrence of a stress fracture of the fifth metatarsal has not been reported after this procedure. We report two such cases and discuss the probable mechanism of this problem, a relative overloading of the lateral aspect of the foot. Both cases were treated successfully with immobilization. Clinicians should be aware of this possible problem and treat it appropriately.

Comparison of the high-tech service delivery experiences of hospice and non-hospice home health providers.

This study examined the degree to which national samples of hospice and non-hospice home health care agencies (N = 154) present different organizational profiles and grapple with different patient capacity issues when delivering technology-enhanced services to incapacitated elderly. Hospice agencies employ more part-time staff, make more in-home visits, see more high-tech patients, and provide a wider range of high-tech services than non-hospice providers. Factor analysis of index data confirms that hospice staff have more experience (p < .05) addressing the legal/ethical dimensions of care. Specifically, hospices deal with "right to die" issues more often (p < .05), but not with "delegation of authority" and "patient rights" issues. More agencies of both types have policies for handling decisions about life-sustaining treatment than for dealing with patients having questionable decision-making capacity. Needed agency policies for dealing with limited patient decision-making capacity in hospice and non-hospice home care agencies are reviewed.

Surgical release of tethered spinal cord: survivorship analysis and orthopedic outcome.

Between January 1988 and February 1995, 133 tethered spinal cord-release procedures in 88 consecutive patients were performed at our institution and were used to determine survivorship data for surgical release of tethered spinal cord. The diagnoses included spinal dysraphism (67), achondroplasia (nine), isolated tethered cord (nine), cerebral palsy (three), and others (seven). Survivorship data were calculated for the initial and first-revision tethered cord release. There was a 50% revision rate by 5 years after initial tethered-cord release and a 57% revision rate by 2 years after a second release. Thirty-six patients were excluded for having <2 years of clinical follow-up, leaving 97 spinal cord releases in 52 patients available for outcome analysis. At a mean follow-up of 4.4 years (range, 2-11.3), 58% of patients required one or more orthopedic procedures after tethered-cord release. The average number of orthopedic procedures per year before release (0.28/year) was found to increase after initial release (0.39/year; p < 0.05). These data demonstrate the frequent need for operative revision after index tethered-cord release, especially in children with spinal dysraphism. In addition, the need for orthopedic procedures after tethered spinal-cord release frequently persists.

Supporting patient autonomy: decision making in home care.

This study examines the policies and procedures that home health care agencies have developed to handle the incapacitated patient and life-sustaining treatment decisions. Data collected from a survey of 154 home health care agency directors and interviews with 92 local agency staff (including nurses and social workers) and 67 patients confirmed that directors, staff, and patients agree that patients are informed about their legal rights. When asked about specific rights, fewer patients were aware of their right to execute an advance directive, and even fewer patients had actually executed one. Only 67 percent of agencies reported having existing policies on advance directives and life-sustaining treatment decisions, whereas 41.5 percent had policies on how to handle the patient with questionable decision-making capacity. Consistent policies are needed for social workers, nurses, and other staff to handle such difficult ethical dilemmas. A review of specific agency policies is presented with recommendations for future policy changes and development.

Provider and consumer profiles of traditional and high-tech home health care: the issue of differential access.

This study, based on data from 154 home health care agencies, examines the comparative profiles of traditional and technology-enhanced, or "high-tech", home health care service providers and recipients. Voluntary, not-for-profit agencies have been providing services the longest, serve more patients, make more home visits, and have more staff. However, proprietary programs have grown faster than agencies under other auspices. One in 10 patients receives high-tech care, with hospice agencies serving the largest proportion of high-tech patients. High-tech patients are more likely to be younger, male, married, white, and living with others than other service recipients in general. A slight majority of agencies have special admissions criteria for high-tech patients. Variations in the profiles of traditional and high-tech patients are considered in terms of their implications for differential access to particular categories of in-home services.

High-tech home health care: administrative and staff perspectives.

This study examines staff perspectives and personnel issues related to the delivery of high-tech home health care services to older adults. Data were collected from a national sample of 154 agency directors and 92 local agency staff. Agency staff and directors consistently report an increase in high-tech service delivery over the past five years. Both agency directors and local staff agree that a variety of staff may be involved in the delivery of high-tech services, including both professional and paraprofessional staff. Although agency directors report providing training to at least one or more type of direct care staff, agency staff are less likely to report being required to participate in training programs. The provision of high tech services impacts the agency, the staff, and the patient in various ways. Most staff feel that high-tech care enhances the quality of life of older patients, although high-tech care may be somewhat difficult to define and even more difficult to deliver. Challenges related to the provision of high-tech care, including providing adequate staff training, and developing appropriate quality assurance measures, are discussed.