The influence of concomitant hammertoe correction on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing hallux valgus correction.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hallux valgus often develop secondary hammertoe deformities of the lesser toes. Operative management of bunions with hammertoe can be more extensive; however, it is unclear whether this affects patient-reported outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare postoperative patient-reported outcome measures and radiographic outcomes between patients who underwent isolated bunion correction and patients who underwent simultaneous bunion and hammertoe correction. METHODS: Preoperative, postoperative, and change in Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores were compared between patients who underwent isolated hallux valgus correction and those who underwent concomitant hammertoe correction. Radiographic measures including hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), distal metatarsal-articular angle (DMAA), and Meary's angle were also compared. Targeted minimum-loss estimation (TMLE) was used for statistical analysis to control for confounders. RESULTS: A total of 221 feet (134 isolated bunion correction, 87 concomitant hammertoe correction) with a minimum of 12 months follow-up were included in this study. Both cohorts demonstrated significant improvements in the physical function, pain interference, pain intensity, and global physical health PROMIS domains (all p < 0.001). However, patients in the concomitant hammertoe cohort had significantly less improvements in pain interference and pain intensity (p < 0.01, p < 0.05 respectively). The concomitant hammertoe cohort also had significantly higher postoperative pain interference scores than the isolated bunion cohort (p < 0.01). Radiographic outcomes did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION: While both isolated bunion correction and concomitant hammertoe correction yielded clinically significant improvements in patient reported outcomes and normalized radiographic parameters, patients undergoing simultaneous bunion and hammertoe correction experienced substantially less improvement in postoperative pain-related outcomes than those who underwent isolated bunion correction.

Perceived risk factors for nonunion following foot and ankle arthrodesis.

BACKGROUND: A major complication of foot and ankle arthrodesis is nonunion, which occurs in approximately 12% of cases. Various factors influence a patient's risk for nonunion following foot and ankle arthrodesis. We surveyed international foot and ankle surgeons to determine (1) risk factors perceived most important for nonunion, (2) factors considered absolute contraindications for arthrodesis, and (3) differences among expert groups regarding perceived risk factors and their stratification. METHODS: A questionnaire was e-mailed to members of a major foot and ankle journal editorial board and four foot and ankle society executive committees. The relative risk of 18 potential nonunion risk factors was rated from 1 to 10, using smoking 1 pack/day as a benchmark score of 5.00. RESULTS: The response rate was 72% (100/139); 81% declared foot and ankle surgery encompasses >90% of their practice. The highest perceived risk factors ( p < 0.001) were smoking 2 packs/day (mean score 8.69), lack of fusion site stability (8.66), and poor local vascularity (7.66). The least important risk factors ( p < 0.001) were perceived to be age >60 years (mean score 2.54), rheumatoid arthritis (3.05), and osteoporosis (3.56). The most frequently cited absolute contraindications to arthrodesis surgery were local infection (46%), poor local vascularity (41%), and smoking (32%). CONCLUSION: To improve arthrodesis outcomes, resource allocation and patient and surgeon education should focus on smoking, construct stability, and local vascularity. Development of an objective nonunion risk assessment tool to identify patients at risk for nonunion using these results could help maximize the efficiency of available resources.

Current concept review: quality and process improvement in orthopedics.

Multiple health care stakeholders are increasingly scrutinizing musculoskeletal care to optimize quality and cost efficiency. This has led to greater emphasis on quality and process improvement. There is a robust set of business strategies that are increasingly being applied to health care delivery. These quality and process improvement tools (QPITs) have specific applications to segments of, or the entire episode of, patient care. In the rapidly changing health care world, it will behoove all orthopedic surgeons to have an understanding of the manner in which care delivery processes can be evaluated and improved. Many of the commonly used QPITs, including checklist initiatives, standardized clinical care pathways, lean methodology, six sigma strategies, and total quality management, embrace basic principles of quality improvement. These principles include focusing on outcomes, optimizing communication among health care team members, increasing process standardization, and decreasing process variation. This review summarizes the common QPITs, including how and when they might be employed to improve care delivery.

Nonunion Risk Assessment in Foot and Ankle Surgery: Proposing a Predictive Risk Assessment Model.

BACKGROUND: Nonunion risk factor identification and modification are subjective. We describe and validate a predictive nonunion risk factor model to identify foot and ankle operative patients at risk for nonunion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred international experts in foot and ankle surgery were surveyed. Nineteen nonunion risk factors were stratified into 3 categories: more significant than, as significant as, and less significant than smoking 1 pack per day. A nonunion risk assessment model was developed by assigning a weighted score to each risk factor, based on its mean score from the survey. A total nonunion risk (TNR) score was calculated for individual patients. It was retrospectively validated in 2 patient cohorts from a single center's prospectively collected end-stage ankle arthritis patient database: 22 cases of ankle and/or hindfoot fusion nonunion and 40 sex- and procedure-matched controls with bony fusion. Analyses included descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and univariate and multivariate linear regression models. RESULTS: The mean TNR score was 6.6 ± 5.6 in controls and 13.5 ± 8.2 in the nonunion group (P < .001). Data showed excellent intraobserver and interobserver correlation coefficients. In a logistic regression model, the risk of nonunion exceeded 9% with a TNR score greater than or equal to 10. Multivariate linear regression analysis, adjusted for age and sex, suggested that lack of fusion site stability and obesity (body mass index greater than 30) were significantly predictive of nonunion. CONCLUSION: The nonunion risk assessment model provides a reliable, sensitive, and specific method for predicting nonunion based on objective patient assessment. Orthopaedic patients at risk for nonunion could benefit from targeted intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective observational study.

Ethical concerns in caring for elderly patients with cognitive limitations: a capacity-adjusted shared decision-making approach.

Mrs. A is a pleasant seventy-seven-year-old widow with an increasingly symptomatic right knee that has markedly limited her activities in the past year. Mrs. A's daughter, who lives in town, urged her to seek treatment. History, physical examination, and radiographs confirmed the diagnosis of end-stage knee arthritis. Dr. Z, the orthopaedic surgeon, presented total knee arthroplasty as a potential treatment option and provided detailed information on the surgery and recovery. Mrs. A indicated that if Dr. Z thinks that total knee arthroplasty is a good idea, she would agree to have the surgery. She lives alone and goes grocery shopping once a week, but her pain makes such endeavors frustrating for her. Her daughter visits regularly, takes her to medical appointments, and helps her with medications. Mrs. A has returned for a preoperative visit with Dr. Z, and her total knee arthroplasty has been tentatively scheduled for the following month. At this visit, Mrs. A notes that she wants to drive to the adjacent state to visit her son two weeks after the surgery and is glad she will have "a new knee" for that visit. When asked more questions about her understanding of the total knee arthroplasty and postoperative instructions, Mrs. A says Dr. Z can just talk to her daughter when she comes to pick her up from the appointment.

Deep-vein thrombosis prophylaxis in foot and ankle surgery: what is the current state of practice?

BACKGROUND: When contemplating thromboprophylaxis for patients undergoing elective foot and ankle surgery the potential for complications secondary to venous thromboembolism (VTE) must be balanced against the cost, risk, and effectiveness of prophylactic treatment. The incidence of pulmonary embolism (PE) following foot and ankle surgery is considerably lower than after hip or knee surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess current trends in practice regarding VTE prophylaxis among expert orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons. METHODS: An e-mail-based survey of active AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) committee members was conducted (n = 100). Surgeons were questioned as to their use, type, and duration of thromboprophylaxis following elective ankle fusion surgery. Scenarios included the following: (1) A 50-year-old woman with no risk factors; (2) a 50-year-old woman with a history of PE; and (3) a 35-year-old woman actively using birth control pills (BCPs). RESULTS: The response rate for the survey was 80% (80/100). Replies regarding the use of thromboprophylaxis were as follows: (1) in the absence of risk factors, 57% of respondents (45/80) answered, "No prophylaxis required"; (2) for the scenario in which the patient had experienced a previous PE, 97.5% of respondents (78/80) answered, "Yes" to prophylaxis use; (3) for the scenario in which the patient was on BCP, 61.3% of respondents (49/80) stated that they would give some type of thromboprophylaxis. The most commonly recommended methods of prophylaxis were aspirin, 49% (24/49), and low-molecular-weight heparin, 47% (23/49). The recommended length of time for thromboprophylaxis varied widely, from 1 day to more than 6 weeks. CONCLUSION: . There remains wide variation in the practice of deep-vein thrombosis thromboprophylaxis within the foot and ankle community. Because risks for foot and ankle patients differ from those in the well-studied areas of hip and knee, specific guidelines are needed for foot and ankle surgery. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level V: Expert Opinion.

Preferred management of recalcitrant plantar fasciitis among orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons.

BACKGROUND: There are a number of different treatment options available for recalcitrant plantar fasciitis, with limited high-level evidence to guide nonoperative and operative treatment methods. The purpose of this study was to determine the current preferred nonoperative and operative treatment methods for recalcitrant plantar fasciitis by a group of experienced orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons. METHODS: A hypothetical patient with recalcitrant plantar fasciitis was developed as the basis for a survey comprised of seven questions. The questions related to the surgeon's preferred treatment after 4~months of failed nonoperative management and then after 10 months of recalcitrant symptoms. The survey was sent to committee members of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS). RESULTS: Eighty-four orthopaedic surgeons completed the survey (84 out of 116; response rate=72%). At the 4-month visit, when questioned regarding their most preferred next step in management, 37 (44%) respondents favored initiation of plantar fascia-specific stretching (PFSS), 20 (24%) supervised physical therapy, 17 (20%) night splinting, five (6%) steroid injection, three (4%) custom orthotics, and two (2%) cast or boot immobilization. With ongoing symptoms at 10~months, 62 (74%) respondents chose surgery or ECSWT (extracorporeal shock wave therapy) as their next step in management. Some form of surgery (alone or in combination) was chosen by 46 (55%) respondents. The most popular operative interventions were gastrocnemius recession (alone or in combination with another procedure) and open partial plantar fascia release with nerve decompression. CONCLUSIONS: For shorter duration symptoms, tissue-specific stretching and conditioning methods were favored over anti-inflammatory or structural support modalities which is consistent with available high-level evidence studies. Heterogeneity of operative preferences for chronic symptoms highlighted the need for further high-quality studies.

Sciatic nerve blockade: a survey of orthopaedic foot and ankle specialists in North America and the United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: Sciatic nerve blocks are used to reduce post-operative pain and allow early discharge for patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery. This study aimed to identify the utilization of this procedure in the US and UK and to establish the standard of care with respect to the level of anesthesia that the patient is under and use of ultrasound localization when performing sciatic nerve blocks. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey of current committee members of AOFAS and members of BOFAS. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-three surgeons were contacted with a response rate of 44%. Eighty-two percent commonly used a sciatic nerve blockade. Sixty-nine percent never or only sometimes used ultrasonography and variable levels of nerve stimulation were used. Forty-two percent where happy to have the block performed under full anesthesia. There were significant differences between British and American practices regarding the level of nerve stimulation and the level of anesthesia used. The most common complication cited was prolonged anesthesia of which the vast majority spontaneously resolved. Performing blocks awake or sedated did not seem to alter number of complications seen. CONCLUSION: This study represents a current practice review of sciatic nerve blocks performed amongst senior foot and ankle surgeons. Although no absolute consensus has been reached as to the use of ultrasound or whether the patient needs to be awake for the procedure, it is clear that the standard of care does not mandate either of these. The differences between US and UK practice are probably cultural and do not appear to affect the number of complications encountered.

Special report: highlights of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Summer Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, Denver, Colorado, June 26-28, 2008.

The Twenty-Fourth Annual Summer Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) was held 26-28 June 2008 at the Denver Marriott City Center in Denver, Colorado. There were 442 registrants in attendance, including 81 individuals from 21 countries outside the United States. There were 176 abstracts submitted, and 46 (26%) abstracts were accepted for podium presentation.

Developing the master educator: cross disciplinary teaching scholars program for human and veterinary medical faculty.

OBJECTIVE: At the University of California, Davis (UCD), the authors sought to develop an institutional network of reflective educational leaders. The authors wanted to enhance faculty understanding of medical education's complexity, and improve educators' effectiveness as regional/national leaders. METHODS: The UCD Teaching Scholars Program is a half-year course, comprised of 24 weekly half-day small group sessions, for faculty in the School of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The program's philosophical framework was centered on personal reflection to enhance change: 1) understanding educational theory to build metacognitive bridges, 2) diversity of perspectives to broaden horizons, 3) colleagues as peer teachers to improve interactive experiences, and 4) reciprocal process of testing theory and examining practice to reinforce learning. The authors describe the program development (environmental analysis, marketing, teaching techniques), specific challenges, and failed experiments. The authors provide examples of interactive exercises used to enhance curricular content. The authors enrolled 7-10 faculty per year, from a diverse pool of current and near-future educational leaders. RESULTS: Four years of Teaching Scholars participants were surveyed about program experiences and short/longer term outcomes. Twenty-six (76%) respondents reported that they were very satisfied with the course (4.6/5), individual curricular blocks (4.2-4.6), and other faculty (4.7). They described participation barriers/facilitators. Participants reported positive impact on their effectiveness as educators (100%), course directors (84%), leaders (72%), and educational researchers (52%). They described specific acquired attitudes, knowledge, and skills. They described changes in their approach to education/career changed based on program participation. Combining faculty from different educational backgrounds significantly broadened perspectives, leading to greater/new collaboration. DISCUSSION: Developing a cadre of master educators requires careful program planning, implementation, and program/participant evaluation. Based on participant feedback, our program was a success at stimulating change. This open assessment of programmatic strengths and weaknesses may provide a template for other medical institutions that seek to enhance their institutional educational mission.

Surgical anatomy and accuracy of percutaneous achilles tendon lengthening.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous Achilles tendon lengthening is frequently done to treat gastrocsoleus equinus contracture. To our knowledge, no study has documented the proximity of tendinous or neurovascular structures to the nearest edges of each hemisection in a percutaneous Achilles tendon lengthening, the complication rates related to injury of such structures, or the Achilles tendon rupture rates from inaccurate cuts. Thus, our goal was to document these distances and determine the accuracy of this procedure. METHODS: We performed triple-hemisection percutaneous Achilles tendon lengthening (Hoke technique) in 15 cadaver specimens and documented the distance from each cut edge to various relevant anatomical structures. We also documented the accuracy of each cut (diameter of hemisection divided by total tendon diameter), with a reference goal of 50% transection at each level. RESULTS: We found that percutaneous Achilles tendon lengthening is a relatively accurate procedure with hemisections averaging 50% for the middle cut and 60% at the most proximal cut, and 55% at the distal cut. Some tendinous and neurovascular structures are, on average, less than 1 cm from the nearest margin of a given hemisection and are, therefore, at risk. These included the flexor hallucis longus at the middle and proximal cuts (9.1 mm and 5.7 mm, respectively), the tibial nerve at the proximal cut (8.3 mm), and the sural nerve at the middle-lateral cut (7.9 mm). CONCLUSION: In cadavers, reasonably accurate cuts can be made, with some vital structures less than 1 cm from the cut tendon.

Surgical treatment of severe hallux valgus: the state of practice among academic foot and ankle surgeons.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the operative procedures used for treatment of severe hallux valgus by academic foot and ankle surgeons practicing in the United States. METHODS: A patient with severe hallux valgus deformity was developed as a hypothetical case: a 50-year-old woman with a severe deformity (intermetatarsal angle = 20 degrees; hallux valgus angle = 42 degrees). The patient was symptomatic with pain, did not improve with conservative measures, and wanted the deformity corrected. This case was sent to academic foot and ankle surgeons in a survey to determine their preferred operative treatment for this case. The overall response rate was 84% (128 of 153). To be included in the study group each surgeon had to have 1) foot and ankle patients comprising 50% or more of his clinical practice and 2) direct responsibility for teaching orthopaedic residents. One hundred and five respondents met the inclusion criteria and formed the study group; however, three surveys with invalid responses were deleted. RESULTS: Fifty-two percent (54 of 102) of the respondents chose a metatarsal osteotomy, 26% (26 of 102) a first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint arthrodesis, and 24% (24 of 102) a Lapidus procedure. Two respondents chose both an arthrodesis and a metatarsal osteotomy. Among the 54 respondents who chose metatarsal osteotomies, 24 used a Ludloff, 16 a proximal crescentic, eight a proximal chevron, two a scarf, two a distal chevron, and two other. In addition, secondary procedures to enhance the correction included a Weil osteotomy in 46% (47 of 102) and an Akin osteotomy in 30% (31 of 102). CONCLUSIONS: There was a wide variation in the type of procedure used to correct this severe hallux valgus deformity; approximately 50% of the respondents chose a metatarsal osteotomy, 25% chose a first MTP joint arthrodesis, and 25% a Lapidus procedure.