Risk Factors for the Development of BK Virus Nephropathy in Renal Transplant Recipients.

The BK polyoma virus has, in recent years, become a significant cause of renal allograft dysfunction and failure. Among 260 adult kidney transplant recipients, those with biopsy-proven BK virus nephropathy (BKVN) were compared with those without BKVN with regard to gender, age, race, rejection episodes, time on dialysis, number of organs transplanted, HLA match, live donor versus deceased donor, cold ischemia time, delayed graft function, cytomegalovirus (CMV) serostatus of donor and recipient, induction therapy, and maintenance immunosuppression. Episodes of rejection (35.7% of patients with BKVN vs 8.5% of patients without BKVN; P = .01), transplantation of >1 organ (35.7% of patients with BKVN vs 9.0% of patients without BKVN; P = .01), positive CMV serology in both donor and recipient (71.4% of patients with BKVN vs 41.1% of patients without BKVN; P = .03), and a greater cumulative dose of daclizumab use at the time of induction (2.24 ± 0.05 mg/kg in patients with BKVN vs 2.03 ± 0.14 mg/kg in patients without BKVN; P = .04) were statistically significant risk factors for the development of BKVN. Those who developed BKVN received a higher mean cumulative dose of rabbit antithymoglobulin for induction therapy, but that difference failed to achieve statistical significance (P = .07).

Sarcoidosis within a renal allograft: a case report and review of the literature.

Sarcoidosis is an unusual disorder of unknown etiology. Clinically apparent renal involvement is rare in sarcoidosis. The incidence of recurrence in transplant recipients is unknown with few cases having been reported previously. Herein we report a case of sarcoidosis involving a renal allograft that occurred 3 years after transplantation and provide a literature review.

Treatment of acute graft-vs-host disease after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: a case report.

Whereas neutropenia is common after solid-organ transplantation, graft-vs-host disease is unusual, especially after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Most cases reported in the literature give few details of treatment approach, and all were fatal. A 45-year-old man with diabetes underwent simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation at our center, with organs from a female donor. Two weeks postoperatively, he was readmitted with fever, malaise, and neutropenia. A bone marrow biopsy specimen demonstrated that two-thirds of the lymphocytes were of female karyotype. Graft-vs-host disease was diagnosed. Aggressive immunosuppression therapy was administered; however, the patient died. To our knowledge, this is the first case report with specific details of a treatment protocol and sequential short tandem repeat data.

Sweet syndrome after kidney transplantation.

The association between Sweet syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis) and malignancies, infection, and drugs has been well established, but the disorder has never been reported in a solid organ transplant recipient. We have presented the first reported case of Sweet syndrome connected with solid organ transplant. Our patient is a 38-year-old man who underwent deceased donor kidney transplant for focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis and after resuming dialysis 6 weeks posttransplant, was readmitted 2 months later with high fevers and multiple head, neck, chest, and back lesions. Cultures were negative, and skin biopsy was consistent with Sweet syndrome. The lesions responded to higher doses of prednisone. Sweet syndrome has been linked to multiple drugs and malignancies, but has also been linked with states of altered immunity. Posttransplant immunosuppression may be related to this occurrence.

Flexor digitorum longus transfer and medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy for posterior tibial tendon dysfunction: a middle-term clinical follow-up.

HYPOTHESES/PURPOSE: The medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy has recently become a popular addition to flexor digitorum longus transfer for stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. We reviewed the results of 26 patients who had undergone the procedure at an average of 32 months prior to follow-up (range 12 to 70 months) with particular attention to objective functional parameters. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: FDL transfer and medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy provides good functional and symptomatic results in the middle-term. The operation preserves the majority of subtalar motion and is objectively durable as assessed by the continued ability to perform a single-leg toe rise. Although moderate radiographic improvement in the arch is frequent, often patients fail to notice this clinically. A prolonged period of steady improvement in symptoms after surgery is common. SUMMARY OF METHODS/RESULTS: Between 1993 and 1998, 26 patients underwent flexor digitorum longus transfer and medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy performed by the senior author. Sixteen returned for the study and were seen for physical exams. Three were included on the basis of chart review including one who was deceased and two who could not be contacted. Five further patients included on the basis of chart review were also contacted for telephone interviews. For the survival analysis, however, their last physical examination was used as the follow-up date. Two patients who had early technical failures were not interviewed but were counted as early failures of the procedure in the survival analysis. Functionally, all patients except three could perform a single-leg toe rise at follow-up, a maneuver none could perform preoperatively. Of these three, two cases were technical failures with loss of fixation of the FDL transfer early in the postoperative course, ultimately requiring revision procedures including one subtalar fusion. Another patient was a late failure after developing increasing pain and weakness during a pregnancy 69 months after the procedure. Clinically assessed subtalar motion remained 81 +/- 15% of the contralateral side in those patients with unilateral disease. Although improvement in the radiographic alignment of the foot was commonly noted, only 50% of patients felt the conformation of their foot had noticeably changed, and only one (4%) felt the improvement to be significant. Pain relief was rated excellent by 75% and good by 16%; the average AOFAS Hindfoot pain subscale score was 35.2 (out of 40 possible). Function was felt to be markedly improved by all patients except the three who were unable to perform a single-leg toe rise. The average score for the four functional symptom categories of the AOFAS score was 26.8 (out of 28 possible). Most patients noted that although they were able to perform daily activities after their postoperative immobilization was liberalized, there was a prolonged period of steady improvement in symptoms and function after surgery. The median length of time to self-rated maximal medical improvement was 10 months.

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction. Treatment by flexor digitorum longus transfer.

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction presents the clinician with such a broad spectrum of clinical problems that treatment must be based on the anatomic alignment of the foot as determined by the physical examination. There is no single method to treat PTT dysfunction, but rather a variety of conservative and operative procedures that are based on the pathologic anatomy.

Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis.

The purpose of this multicenter retrospective study of 55 patients (56 ankles) who underwent simultaneous tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis with severe disease involving the ankle and subtalar joints was to determine improvement of pain and function. The surgical indications included osteoarthritis, posttraumatic injury, failed previous surgery, talar avascular necrosis, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis involving the ankle and subtalar joints. The average age at the time of the operation was 53 years. The average time of follow-up was 26 months after the operation. Fusion was achieved in 48 ankles, with an average time of fusion of 19 weeks. Forty-eight of the 55 patients were satisfied with the procedure. The average leg length discrepancy was 1.4 cm. The average amount of dorsiflexion was 2 degrees and plantar flexion was 5 degrees. Following surgery, 42 patients complained of pain, 40 patients required shoe modification or an orthotic device, and 34 patients had a limp. Fourteen patients described their activity as unlimited. Based on the AOFAS evaluation, the patients scored an average of 66 on the ankle-hind foot scale following surgery. The most common complications were nonunion (8 ankles) and wound infection (6 ankles). This study demonstrates that tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis is an effective salvage procedure for patients with disease both involving the ankle and subtalar joints.

The pathogenesis and surgical management of foot deformity in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

The foot deformities in CMT follow certain general patterns; however, like the underlying motor failures that cause them, the deformities present in each patient are unique, and care must be individualized. There is no simple algorithm that can be applied to all patients. The hindfoot, forefoot, and toe deformities in CMT all ultimately are interconnected. As a general rule, it makes sense to address the plantar fascia, then proceed from the hindfoot to the forefoot in analyzing the deformities and in surgery. Releasing the plantar fascia may alter the amount of bony correction required in any concomitant hindfoot procedure. Likewise, only after the heel is realigned can any residual forefoot valgus be assessed, and a hindfoot procedure may alter the resting tension of the digital flexors and extensors. Finally, if a patient has purely dynamic clawtoes preoperatively, the toes may appear perfectly normal in the operating room with the ankle plantar flexed. Tightness of the flexor digitorum longus should be elicited by bringing the ankle up to neutral as a final check. The variety of foot deformities in CMT present a unique challenge to the orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon. It is vital for the patient and physician to remember that CMT is an inexorably progressive disease, and an initially good result can deteriorate with changing motor function. With meticulous attention to the neurologic examination and the balance of supple and fixed deformities in the foot, very satisfying outcomes usually can be obtained.

Cumulative industrial trauma as an etiology of seven common disorders in the foot and ankle: what is the evidence?

The concept of cumulative industrial trauma as an etiology of orthopaedic disease has recently generated considerable attention in both the medical and legal communities. To clarify the current state of knowledge about the issue as applied to the foot and ankle, we critically reviewed the literature on the etiology of seven foot and ankle disorders commonly involved in compensation litigation in the practice of the senior author: hallux valgus, interdigital neuroma, tarsal tunnel syndrome, lesser toe deformity, heel pain, adult acquired flatfoot, and foot and ankle osteoarthritis. Koch's postulates were appropriately modified and used as a logistic framework to analyze the potential for cumulative industrial trauma to cause foot pathology. In none of the disorders analyzed could cumulative industrial trauma reasonably satisfy even one of Koch's three postulates. We conclude there is currently no unequivocal literature support upon which to invoke cumulative industrial trauma as a clear etiology of these disorders of the adult foot and ankle. The superb evolutionary adaptation of the human foot to prolonged ambulation and the absence of industrial demands that significantly differ from this task likely account for this dramatically reduced vulnerability of the foot to industrial repetitive motion disorders compared to the upper extremity.

Double arthrodesis in the adult.

Twenty-four double arthrodeses (24 patients) were evaluated at an average of 56 months postoperatively. Sixteen arthrodeses were performed for adult acquired flatfoot attributable to posterior tibial tendon insufficiency (16 patients), and results were compared with the results of eight patients undergoing arthrodesis for other diagnoses. The overall satisfaction rate was 83%, with 76% of patients having good and excellent results. Considerable improvements were observed in pain and function indices, with similar outcomes observed in the patients with and without acquired flatfoot. However, complications were more frequent in the patients who had flatfoot deformities. Clinical deformity was corrected reliably and radiographic parameters confirmed correction of deformity. Progression of arthrosis in the surrounding joints was common, but most patients were asymptomatic. Talonavicular nonunion was the most frequent complication, occurring in four patients. Three of the patients underwent revision arthrodesis.

CD8(+), radiosensitive T cells of parental origin, oppose cells capable of down-regulating cytotoxicity in murine acute lethal graft-versus-host disease.

Murine graft-versus-host (GVH) disease takes two forms depending upon the parental/F1 strain combination employed. Anemia, lymphopenia, hypogammaglobulinemia, profound anti-F1 cytotoxicity, and the loss of cytotoxic potential against third party alloantigen is seen in acute lethal GVH disease. In contrast to this, in chronic GVH disease there is polyclonal B cell activation, auto-antibody production, no anti-F1 cytotoxicity, and retained cytotoxicity against allotargets. We have previously reported that this marked disparity in disease expression results from a radiosensitive host veto cell which protects the F1 mouse from parental anti-F1 cytotoxicity in mice undergoing CGVH disease. This cell could be induced in vitro or in vivo in CGVH disease. Using an in vitro system, we now demonstrate that a CD4(+), radiation-sensitive, T cell does emerge in acute lethal GVH disease which is capable of down-regulating cytotoxicity. The cell does not appear to be a veto cell in that it attenuates cytotoxicity directed against nonself alloantigen. The function of this cell does not appear to be influenced by minor lymphocyte stimulatory gene products. We further report that, in ALGVH disease, regulation by this cell is not readily apparent due to the emergence of a CD8(+) T cell of parental (B6) origin, which opposes its action.

Biplanar chevron osteotomy.

We retrospectively reviewed the results of using a biplanar chevron osteotomy performed on patients who presented with hallux valgus deformities with an increased distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA). The study included 17 feet (14 patients) of 12 women and 2 men. The average follow-up was 33 months. The average American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Hallux Metatarsophalangeal-Interphalangeal Clinical Rating Score was 91. Ten of the 14 patients (13 of 17 feet) stated that they would choose to undergo the procedure again. The hallux valgus angle was improved from an average of 22 degrees to 18 degrees, the intermetatarsal angle from 11 degrees to 9 degrees, and the DMAA from 16 degrees to 9 degrees. We have demonstrated this procedure to be useful in the treatment of symptomatic bunion deformities with an increased DMAA.

Isolated subtalar arthrodesis.

Forty-eight isolated subtalar arthrodeses in 44 patients with an average follow-up of 59.5 months were retrospectively reviewed. Original diagnoses included talocalcaneal coalition, healed calcaneal fracture with subtalar arthrosis, acquired flatfoot because of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction, degenerative subtalar arthrosis, subtalar instability, and psoriatic arthritis. Ninety-three percent of patients were very satisfied or satisfied with their treatment. Pain and function improved significantly, and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score at follow-up was 89. There were six unsatisfactory results: three feet had calcaneal fractures and three were malpositioned. Union was achieved in all cases. Transverse tarsal motion was diminished by 40%, dorsiflexion by 30%, and plantarflexion by 9%. There was a 36% and 41% incidence of mild radiographic progression of arthrosis in the ankle and transverse tarsal joint, respectively. Isolated subtalar arthrodesis provided a highly successful result in the disease presented, and this study provides support for the use of a selected hindfoot fusion procedure for specific indications.

Thromboembolism after foot and ankle surgery. A multicenter study.

Thromboembolic disease presents a potentially fatal complication to patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Although the incidence after hip and knee surgery has been studied and documented, its incidence after surgery of the foot and ankle is unknown. For this reason, a prospective multicenter study was undertaken to identify patients with clinically evident thromboembolic disease to evaluate potential risk factors. Two thousand seven hundred thirty-three patients were evaluated for preoperative risk factors and postoperative thromboembolic events. There were six clinically significant thromboembolic events, including four nonfatal pulmonary emboli, after foot and ankle surgery. The incidence of deep vein thrombosis was six of 2733 (0.22%) and that of nonfatal pulmonary emboli was four of 2733 (0.15%). Factors found to correlate with an increased incidence of deep vein thrombosis were nonweightbearing status and immobilization after surgery. On the basis of these results, routine prophylaxis for thromboembolic disease after foot and ankle surgery probably is not warranted.

Arthrodesis of the ankle: a critical analysis.

Arthrodeses of 81 ankles performed by a single surgeon were reviewed after a 12- to 74-month follow up. Average time to union was 13.8 weeks, and 71 (88%) of 81 ankles healed without a second surgery. Ten (12%) of the 81 ankles failed to unite. Of the 10 nonunions, two developed a dense fibrous union without screw failure, and eight underwent revisional surgery. Seven of the revisions united and one has a persistent nonunion. The transfibular approach was utilized, and specific factors related to this approach were assessed. A greater resection of the medial malleolus correlated to a longer healing time and to an increased rate of nonunion. Sixty (96%) of the 63 patients who returned for follow up had no signs or symptoms attributable to malalignment. The average postoperative score for ankle-hindfoot on the AOFAS evaluation was 74 points, and rate of the patient satisfaction was 65 (89%) of the 73 patients. There was no correlation between outcomes and patients ages. Greater tarsal mobility correlated with a higher postoperative score and to higher level of satisfaction.