Percutaneous vs Open Zadek Osteotomy for Treatment of Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy and Haglund's Deformity: A Systematic Review.

Background: Percutaneous Zadek osteotomy (ZO) has emerged as a surgical treatment of insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) over the last decade. Existing literature is limited regarding the comparison of this approach with the more established, open ZO technique. This systematic review aims to evaluate and compare the current data on open vs percutaneous ZO approaches to help set evidence-based guidelines. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using the keywords (Zadek osteotomy) OR (Keck and Kelly osteotomy) OR (dorsal closing wedge calcaneal osteotomy) OR (Haglund Deformity) OR (Haglund Syndrome) OR (Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy) and MeSH terms Osteotomy, Calcaneus, Syndrome, Insertional, Achilles tendon, and Tendinopathy. Our search included the following databases: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. The PRISMA protocol and the Cochrane Handbook guidelines were followed. All studies included were published from 2009 to 2024 and included the use of open or percutaneous approaches of ZO for the treatment of IAT with at least a 12-month follow-up. The MINORS score criteria were used to evaluate the strength and quality of studies. Results: A total of 17 studies were reviewed, including 611 subjects and 625 ZO procedures. Of these procedures, 81 (11%) subjects had a percutaneous and 544 (89%) subjects had an open ZO. The mean follow-up time was 16.1 months for patients treated with percutaneous ZO and 36.1 months for patients treated with open ZO. Both open and percutaneous studies included in this review showed postoperative improvements in AOFAS, FFI, VISA-A, and VAS scores in patients with IAT. The reported complication rate was 5.8% among patients treated with percutaneous ZO and 10.2% among patients treated with open ZO. Conclusion: Percutaneous ZO is an emerging approach with substantially fewer documented cases compared with the open ZO. Both percutaneous and open ZO appear to be relatively effective treatments for insertional Achilles tendinopathy with Haglund's deformity. The lower complication rates reported for percutaneous ZO is encouraging. Further investigation with more subjects undergoing percutaneous ZO is clearly needed.

Does the Presence of Asymptomatic Flatfoot Deformity Impact the Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes of the Minimally Invasive Chevron and Akin Bunionectomy?

BACKGROUND: Flatfoot deformity is believed to play a role in hallux valgus development and recurrence. While symptomatic flatfoot deformity can be treated with separate procedures at the time of hallux valgus correction, the question remains whether the patient undergoing correction of a symptomatic hallux valgus deformity should have their asymptomatic flatfoot concurrently addressed. We aimed to investigate whether the presence of asymptomatic flatfoot influences patient-reported and radiographic outcomes of the minimally invasive chevron and Akin bunionectomy. METHODS: A total of 104 patients were included in this study. Forty-two asymptomatic patients met the radiographic criteria for flatfoot while 62 had a normal arch. Patient-reported outcomes were evaluated and compared between the two groups using validated PROMIS measures preoperatively and at a minimum one-year postoperatively. Radiographic outcomes including hallux valgus angle (HVA), intermetatarsal angle (IMA), Meary's angle, calcaneal pitch (CP), and talonavicular coverage angle (TNCA) were measured and compared preoperatively and minimum six-months postoperatively. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated similar preoperative and postoperative PROMIS scores with significant improvements in physical function, pain interference, pain intensity, and global physical health. Preoperatively, HVA was similar between both groups, however the flatfoot group showed a greater IMA, Meary's angle, TNCA, and lower CP. Postoperatively, HVA and IMA were similar between groups, although patients in the flatfoot group retained a significantly greater Meary's angle, TNCA, and lower CP. Both groups showed significant improvements in HVA, IMA, and TNCA. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that the minimally invasive chevron and Akin bunionectomy leads to improved clinical and radiographic hallux valgus outcomes without adversely impacting radiographic flatfoot parameters. Therefore, the MIS bunionectomy may be an effective option for hallux valgus correction in patients with mild, asymptomatic flatfoot. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort.

Early Radiographic Outcomes of Minimally Invasive Chevron Bunionectomy Compared to the Modified Lapidus Procedure.

Background: Minimally invasive (MIS) bunion surgery has become increasingly popular. Although early reports on outcomes have been encouraging, no study to date has compared outcomes from the MIS chevron and Akin procedures to the modified Lapidus procedure. Our primary aim was to compare early radiographic outcomes of the MIS chevron and Akin osteotomies to those of the modified Lapidus procedure in patients with comparable deformities, and secondarily to compare clinical outcomes. Methods: Patients were retrospectively reviewed for inclusion from a prospectively collected foot and ankle registry. Patients were eligible if they underwent either the MIS bunionectomy or modified Lapidus procedure and had preoperative and minimum 5-month postoperative weightbearing radiographs. Forty-one patients who underwent MIS bunionectomy were matched to 41 patients who underwent Lapidus bunionectomy based on radiographic parameters. Demographics, radiographic parameters, complications, reoperations, and PROMIS scores were compared between groups. Results: Both groups achieved similar radiographic correction. There was no significant difference in pre- or postoperative PROMIS scores between groups. Procedure duration was significantly faster in the MIS group (P < .001). Bunion recurrence (hallux valgus angle ≥20 degrees) occurred in 1 MIS patient and 2 Lapidus patients, with all patients asymptomatic. The most common reason for reoperation was removal of hardware (4 patients in the MIS group, 2 patients in the Lapidus group). Conclusion: This is the first study to our knowledge to compare early radiographic outcomes between MIS bunionectomy and the modified Lapidus procedure in patients matched for bunion severity. We found that patients with similar preoperative deformities experience similar radiographic correction following MIS chevron and Akin osteotomies vs modified Lapidus bunionectomy. Further research is needed to investigate satisfaction differences between the procedures, longer-term outcomes, and which deformities are best suited to each procedure. Level of Evidence: Level III, Retrospective case control study.

Adverse Events and Their Risk Factors Following Intra-articular Corticosteroid Injections of the Ankle or Subtalar Joint.

BACKGROUND: Little data exists regarding the incidence of adverse events and their associated risk factors following intra-articular corticosteroid injection of the ankle and subtalar joint. The aim of this study was to determine the complication rate associated with such injections and to identify any predictive risk factors. METHODS: Adult patients who had received an intra-articular ankle or subtalar joint injection between January 2000 and April 2016 at one of 3 regional hospitals (2 level 1 trauma centers and 1 community hospital) were included. Patients with prior intra-articular injection of corticosteroid into the ankle or subtalar joint were excluded. Explanatory variables were sex, age, race, body mass index, diabetes status, tobacco use, presence of fluoroscopic guidance, location of intra-articular injection, and administering physician's years of experience. RESULTS: Of the 1708 patients included in the final cohort, 99 patients (5.8%) had a total of 104 adverse events within 90 days postinjection. The most prevalent types of adverse events were postinjection flare in 78 patients (4.6% of total cohort, 75% of adverse events) followed by skin reaction in 10 patients (0.6% of total cohort, 9% of adverse events). No infections were noted. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that intra-articular injection in the subtalar ( P = .004) was independently associated with development of an adverse event. Fluoroscopic guidance was not found to be protective of an adverse event compared to nonguided injections ( P = .476). CONCLUSION: The adverse event rate following intra-articular ankle or subtalar joint corticosteroid injection was 5.8%, with postinjection flare being the most common complication. Infections following injection were not reported. Injection into the subtalar joint was independently associated with the development of an adverse event after intra-articular corticosteroid injection, and this was not mitigated by the use of fluoroscopic guidance. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Postoperative Complications Following Repair of Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture.

BACKGROUND: Controversy remains regarding which patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture would best be treated nonoperatively and which might benefit from operative repair. The primary aim of this study was to characterize the overall incidence of-and specific risk factors associated with-postoperative complications that follow operative repair. We also evaluated the specific differences between complications after the use of an open or minimally invasive surgical (MIS) approach. METHODS: Retrospective chart review identified 615 adult patients who underwent operative repair for an acute Achilles tendon rupture between January 1, 2001, and May 1, 2016, at 3 level I trauma centers. Minimum follow-up was 3 months. Patient demographics, comorbidities, injury mechanism, procedural details, and surgeon subspecialty were collected. Assessed complications included wound healing issues, rerupture, hematoma, nerve injury, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. RESULTS: Seventy-two patients (11.7%) developed a postoperative complication. Risk factors included advancing patient age (odds ratio [OR], 1.04, P = .007), active tobacco use (OR, 3.20, P = .007), and specific subspecialty training (OR, 2.04, P = .046). No difference in overall complication rate was found between the open and MIS approaches (11.6% vs 13.2%, P = .658). A subgroup analysis among orthopedic subspecialties demonstrated that patients treated by trauma surgeons had increased rates of wound complication ( P = .043) and rerupture ( P = .025) compared with those treated by other subspecialties. Patients treated by trauma surgeons were also more likely to be younger or have a body mass index (BMI) > 30, although neither factor was found to be independently predictive for postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Approximately 1 in 9 patients undergoing operative repair of an acute Achilles tendon rupture developed a postoperative complication. Advancing age and active tobacco use were independent risk factors for developing such complications. Differences in subspecialty training also appear to impact complication rates, but the potential reason for this discrepancy remains unclear. As controversy remains regarding which patients who sustain acute Achilles tendon rupture should be treated nonoperatively and which would benefit most from surgical repair, a better understanding of postoperative complication rates and associated risk factors may enhance the decision-making processes in treating these injuries. It is not clear whether MIS techniques are superior to traditional open repair in terms of postoperative complications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative series.

Incidence and Risk Factors Associated with Venous Thromboembolism After Orthopaedic Below-knee Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Among patients undergoing below-knee orthopaedic surgery, no consensus exists regarding the need for or type of postoperative prophylaxis to prevent venous thromboembolic (VTE) events. The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence and risk factors associated with symptomatic VTE among orthopaedic patients undergoing below-knee surgery who were subject to different types of pharmacologic thromboprophylactic strategies. METHODS: A total of 20,043 adult patients who underwent surgery for a below-knee orthopaedic condition between August 2005 and August 2015 were identified. Retrospective chart review recorded patient demographics, comorbid data, and anatomic location of any procedures performed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with postoperative development of symptomatic VTE among patients receiving various thromboprophylactic regimens. RESULTS: The incidence of symptomatic VTE in patients who underwent below-knee surgery was 2.5% (492/20,043). For patients who did not receive thromboprophylaxis, the incidence was 1.5% (134/9,127 patients). In this group, risk factors for developing VTE were male sex; nonwhite race; surgery performed below the knee but above the ankle; combination procedures of the forefoot/midfoot, hindfoot/ankle, and/or lower leg; history of VTE; and Charlson Comorbidity Index score greater than 2. Among patients who received an antiplatelet agent, the VTE incidence was 1.7% (33/1,992 patients). The incidence of VTE among patients who received an oral or injectable anticoagulant was 3.6% (325/8,924 patients). In this group, risk factors for developing VTE were male sex; surgery performed below the knee but above the ankle; combination procedures of the forefoot/midfoot, hindfoot/ankle, and/or lower leg; and history of VTE. CONCLUSION: Allowing for different types of thromboprophylactic strategies, the results of this study demonstrate a higher rate of symptomatic thromboembolic disease compared with previously reported <1% VTE incidence rates among orthopaedic patients undergoing below-knee surgery. Certain patients are at higher risk for thromboembolic disease after below-knee orthopaedic surgery. This risk was not found to be lowered by thromboprophylaxis as performed in patients in this database. Future research should be directed at determining what the best thromboprophylactic strategies are for lowering this risk. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study level III.

The impact of metabolic syndrome on inpatient outcomes after isolated ankle fractures.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome has been associated with increased morbidity following surgical procedures, yet its impact in acute orthopaedic trauma remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of metabolic syndrome on in-hospital (1) complications, (2) length of stay, and (3) nonroutine discharge in patients sustaining an isolated ankle fracture. METHODS: Using the National Health Discharge Survey (NHDS) database for the years 2001 through 2007, an estimated 669 841 patients with isolated ankle fractures treated operatively were identified and separated into groups with and without metabolic syndrome. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was performed for each of the outcome variables. RESULTS: Metabolic syndrome was an independent risk factor for increased nonroutine discharge (OR = 1.8) and the development of in-hospital complications (OR = 2.1). The presence of metabolic syndrome was not an independent risk factor for prolonged hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Patients with metabolic syndrome sustaining an isolated ankle fracture are at increased risk for in-hospital complications and a less rapid return of independent functional mobility, as evidenced by the higher need for posthospitalization care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, epidemiologic study.

Factors Influencing Discharge Disposition After Ankle Arthrodesis.

BACKGROUND: Although functional and morbidity outcomes following ankle arthrodesis have been widely studied, patterns of health care resource utilization remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative and postoperative risk factors for nonroutine discharge following ankle arthrodesis. A secondary study aim was to determine risk factors associated with prolonged hospital stay. METHODS: Using the National Health Discharge Survey (NHDS) database for the years 2001 through 2007, an estimated 40 941 patients having undergone ankle arthrodesis were identified and separated into those who were discharged to home (routine discharge) and those who were discharged to rehabilitation facilities (nonroutine discharge). Factors influencing discharge disposition and hospital length of stay were determined using multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Risk factors for nonroutine discharge were increasing age, male sex, diabetes mellitus, atrial fibrillation, more than 1 general or surgery-related complication, additional days of care, and the 2005 to 2007 time period. Risk factors associated with prolonged hospital stay were advanced age, female sex, diabetes mellitus, more than 1 general or surgery-related complication, and the 2001 to 2004 time period. CONCLUSION: Early identification of these factors might prove useful for better allocation of resources and implementation of effective strategies aimed at preventing longer hospitalizations and nonroutine discharges in selected patients at risk. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prognostic study.

Role of preoperative computed tomography scans in operative planning for malleolar ankle fractures.

BACKGROUND: There remains no consensus regarding the role of computed tomography (CT) scans in preoperative planning for malleolar ankle fractures. The aim of this study was to determine the role of preoperative CT scans on operative planning in these fractures. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 100 consecutive patients treated at our institution for malleolar ankle fractures (AO type 44) with both preoperative radiographs and CT scans. Six study participants reviewed available radiographs and formulated an operative (or nonoperative) plan including positioning, operative approach, and fixation. Participants then analyzed CT scans of the same fractures, deciding whether (and how) they would alter operative strategy. Characteristics of fractures and radiographs were correlated with changes in operative strategy. RESULTS: Operative strategy was notably changed in 24% of cases after CT review, with strong intraclass correlation (0.733). Common changes included alterations in medial malleolar (21%) or posterior malleolar (15%) fixation and fixation of an occult anterolateral plafond fracture (9%). Notable predictors of changes in operative strategy included trimalleolar over unimalleolar fractures (29% vs 10% rate of change), preoperative dislocation over no dislocation (31% vs 20%), the presence of only radiographs with overlying plaster versus fractures with at least 1 set of radiographs without plaster (25% vs 14%), and suprasyndesmotic versus trans- and infra-syndesmotic fractures (40% vs 20% and 4%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: CT scans may be useful adjuncts in preoperative planning for malleolar ankle fractures, most notably in fracture dislocations, cases in which all available radiographs are obscured by plaster, trimalleolar fractures, and suprasyndesmotic fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Plantar pressures in patients with and without lateral foot pain after lateral column lengthening.

BACKGROUND: Lateral column lengthening, a commonly used adjuvant for the reconstruction of adult flatfoot deformity, can lead to postoperative complaints of lateral plantar pain or discomfort. We hypothesized that patients with such symptoms would have increased lateral plantar pressures when compared with matched controls without these symptoms. METHODS: Ten subjects who had undergone lateral column lengthening and were experiencing pain or discomfort in the plantar-lateral aspect of the foot were selected. Controls who had undergone lateral column lengthening but who were not experiencing such symptoms were matched for age, sex, accessory reconstructive procedures, and time from surgery. At the time of the present study, the patients had been followed for at least two years after the reconstruction and had had removal of hardware. Radiographs of each foot were assessed before and after surgery. The patients completed the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Foot and Ankle Outcome Score surveys, and standing plantar pressure measurements were obtained. Average mean pressure, peak pressure, and maximum force were assessed at twelve anatomic regions and the two groups were compared. RESULTS: There were no significant preoperative differences between the two groups in terms of radiographic parameters. Patients with pain had significantly lower SF-36 Physical Health Summary scores (p < 0.05), SF-36 Physical Function Subscale scores (p < 0.05), and average Foot and Ankle Outcome Scores (p < 0.05). Patients with pain had significantly higher lateral midfoot average mean pressure (p < 0.05), peak pressure (p < 0.05), and maximum force (p < 0.05). No differences were found in the hindfoot or forefoot regions. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have undergone lateral column lengthening and who experience lateral plantar pain have increased plantar pressure values in the lateral aspect of the midfoot. The increased pressures in this area cannot be accounted for solely by radiographic or demographic factors.