Diabetic patients have a 12% to 25% lifetime risk of developing foot complications leading to significant morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of group education in improving patient awareness of foot care. The authors evaluated the effect of group size and areas in ...

Poliomyelitis is one of the causes of limb length discrepancy. The aim of lengthening and deformity correction in such patients is to improve the functional mobility of the patient. This study aims to find out whether or not improvement of limb length inequality with or without deformity correction affects or ...

Combined ankle and subtalar arthritis is a difficult problem for which there are varied solutions. Each solution has its advantages and disadvantages. Treatment must be specifically tailored to the patient's needs, comorbidities, and expectations. Because of the complicated nature of this condition and its treatment, complications are common and should ...

The aim of this study was to address concerns regarding maintenance of correction of foot deformity after soft tissue Ilizarov distraction in relapsed clubfeet. We retrospectively reviewed the results of Ilizarov surgery of 19 rigid clubfeet in 14 children. The postoperative follow-up was at least 5 years (range, 5-10 years). ...

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the immediate effects of talocrural joint manipulation on stabilometric and baropodometric outcomes in patients with grade II ankle sprain. METHODS: Fifty-two field hockey players (35 men and 17 women) between 18 and 40 years old (mean = 22.5 years, SD = 3.6 years) were included in ...

Ponseti's and Kite's methods of conservative management in idiopathic congenital clubfoot were compared in a prospective randomised study consisting of 45 infants (67 feet) younger than 3 months, from March 2003 through February 2004. There were 36 and 31 feet that underwent treatment by Ponseti's and Kite's methods, respectively. After ...

The aim of this non-randomized pilot study was to assess whether serial casting can be used in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients to reduce tendo-achilles (TA) contractures and to allow the fitting of the knee-ankle-foot orthoses (KAFOs) at the end of the functional walking. TA range and age at loss ...

Congenital lateral ray deficiency is considered to be a manifestation of fibular hemimelia. However, we have noted patients with absent lateral ray but stable knee and ankle joints, and named this condition terminal hemimelia of the lower extremity. This study was undertaken to further define this group of patients and ...

Arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint is a common procedure with a proven long-term success rate. However, there is limited scientific information on its functional results. There is little data in the literature about changes in gait parameters after first MTP joint arthrodesis. The purpose of this study was ...

INTRODUCTION: The floor reaction ankle-foot orthosis is commonly prescribed in the attempt to decrease knee flexion during the stance phase in the cerebral palsy (CP) gait. Reported information about this type of orthosis is insufficient. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of clinically prescribed floor ...

Functional outcome after reconstruction of open ankle injuries has not been well presented in the literature. The authors present the functional results of 24 patients who sustained complex ankle injuries. Patients were assessed using three scoring systems (a modified A/O score, the Enneking score, and the AOFAS) and subdivided into ...

This study concerns 56 elderly high-risk patients with an intertrochanteric fracture of the femur, who were treated with the Citieffe/Ch-N external fixator between November 2002 and February 2004. A short intraoperative time (37 minutes), no need for peroperative blood transfusion, fast mobilisation and a short hospitalisation (average 6 days, thus ...

Tree damage following dust abatement/road stabilization treatment was evaluated on 12.5 miles of the Selway River Road, Nez Perce National Forest. Calcium chloride was applied in June of 2000, mostly at a rate of 51b/yd2 (18,600 lb./acre) or 6.9 lb/yd 2 (25,700 lb/acre). 1,189 trees up to 30 feet from ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to analyze the results of intramedullary fixation of pathological humeral shaft fractures using an unreamed humeral nail (UHN). PATIENTS & METHODS: Twenty-one consecutive patients with 24 humeri fractured secondary to metastatic disease were retrospectively reviewed. The primary tumors included carcinomas of breast (11), ...

This report describes the examination, intervention, and outcomes for a patient with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome I (CRPS I) treated with Strain Counterstrain (SCS). The patient was diagnosed with CRPS I following a Grade II ankle sprain. Treatment consisted of SCS once per week for six months with one additional ...

Chronic lateral ankle instability has been associated with varus deformity of the hindfoot, hyperactivity of the peroneus longus muscle, and insufficiency of the lateral ligaments. Many operative procedures have been described to correct this problem, but instability can recur if all contributing components are not treated. The purpose of this ...

The aim of operative treatment for ankle fractures is to allow early movement after internal fixation. The hypothesis of this study was that early mobilization would improve functional recovery in patients after surgery for ankle fractures. In a prospective randomized controlled study, 66 consecutive patients with ankle fractures that required ...

Craniofacial surgery continues to be progressive in its approach to maximize function and aesthetic appearance while minimizing risks and complications. Dynamic springs are one way to minimize invasiveness while achieving favorable results. The purpose of this study was to show the safety and efficacy of dynamic springs with resorbable foot ...

Clubfoot correction by the Ponseti method is highly successful with an average of 5 casts in the majority of patients. However, early experience with the technique demonstrated that many cases required more than 5 casts for correction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of timing of ...

PURPOSE: Identifying predictors of outcomes is important in anticipating and treating patients with underlying factors that may affect recovery. The predictors of functional outcomes after distal radius fracture (DRF) treatment have not been well defined in the past. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study designed to identify predictors of ...

A clinical study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the Bobath approach on the excitability of the spinal alpha motor neurones in patients with poststroke spasticity. Ten subjects ranging in age from 37 through 76 years (average 60 years) with ankle plantarflexor spasticity secondary to a stroke were recruited ...

This prospective study evaluated the results of arthroscopic subtalar arthrodesis for painful hindfoot osteoarthritis. The hypotheses were that (1) the arthroscopic technique results in a reliable fusion rate, (2) the clinical outcome is better than the open procedure and (3) complication rates are lower. Forty-one arthroscopic subtalar fusions were done ...

In a monocenter randomized controlled trial, 45 patients with isolated malleolar fracture type OTA/AO 44 A1-B2 undergoing ORIF were allocated randomly to a postoperative treatment either with a vacuum-stabilized orthesis with prescribed full weight bearing after the second week (23 patients) (orthesis group -- OG) or with functional aftertreatment with ...

Proximal stress fractures of the second metatarsal are rare. They have been reported mainly in classical ballet dancers. Non-operative treatment has usually led to good results and rapid return to full activities. We present a series of nine cases with stress fractures of the proximal second metatarsal. The patients were ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of internal fixation versus cone hemiarthroplasty for the treatment of unstable intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients. METHODS: The choice of treatment was based on the year of admission: between 2001 and 2003, 42 patients (mean age, 73 years) underwent cone hemiarthroplasty using a cementless press ...

In 1993 a prospective data collection of all femoral fracture in children below 16 years of age was initiated in 4 hospitals in the Netherlands. Follow-up was at least two years, with the aim to evaluate leg length discrepancies (LLD). Over a period of 10 years, we included 136 patients ...

PURPOSE: To assess the Ilizarov technique in treating large infected tibial defects by resection of the infected focus, its acute compression, and gradual distant site lengthening. METHODS: 27 men (mean age, 39 years) with infected nonunion and large bone defects of the tibia underwent complete resection of the nonunion site, ...

Arthrodesis of the ankle joint is still the traditional treatment for symptomatic osteoarthritis. This comparative study was done to assess the functional outcome of open ankle fusion using either cross screw fixation (group A) or anterior contoured plate and cross screw fixation (group B) in a consecutive series of 22 ...

BACKGROUND: The treatment of ingrown toenail complicated with granulation tissue is usually partial or total nail avulsion with or without matricectomy. It costs loss of occupational power, however, because most patients cannot go to work or school for some time after surgery, and it is a costly and uncomfortable procedure ...

There is uncertainty regarding which outcomes tools should be used to report the results of treatment for patients with foot and ankle disorders. This study compared the responsiveness of the Foot Function Index (FFI), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Clinical Rating Systems, and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 ...

The authors report on the retrospective follow-up of 9 patients (6 women and 3 men) who underwent a mini-arthrotomy ankle arthrodesis by means of small incisions for exposure, cartilage resection, and internal fixation with crossed interfragmental compression screws. Patients were kept non-weight-bearing in a short leg cast for 12 weeks ...

BACKGROUND: The ingrown nail (or onychocryptosis) is a common problem that occurs mostly in the big toe and causes high amounts of morbidity in affected patients. Many therapeutic methods have been described, most of them leading to severe damage to the nail or to frequent relapses. The nail splinting technique ...

Many techniques exist for arthrodesis of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, as well as, indications for each method. The purpose of this study was to determine the results of one method using dome-shaped reamers to prepare the joint surfaces and a low-profile dorsal titanium plate for internal fixation. To date, ...

The standard treatment for end-stage arthropathy of the ankle joint in haemophilia has been fusion of the ankle joint. Total ankle replacement is used in osteoarthritis and especially in rheumatoid arthritis with good medium-term results. In this case series three patients are being described, in which a total of five ...

Background. This article presents the results of scaphoid non-union treatment using the Matti-Russe operation. The long-term outcome was compared in patients with bone union and patients with persistent nonunion. Materials and methods. We analyzed 81 cases (80 men, 1 woman) retrospectively. The end point was bone union or persistence of ...

Background: Congenital talipes equinovarus is the most common congenital anomaly of the foot and ankle. The prevalence of this condition in our environment is not known due to dearth of medical literature on the subject. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of our operative management of ...

We report our initial experience of using the Ponseti method for the treatment of congenital idiopathic club foot. Between November 2002 and November 2004 we treated 100 feet in 66 children by this method. The standard protocol described by Ponseti was used except that, when necessary, percutaneous tenotomy of tendo ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes of chondroplasty versus microfracture versus osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) in patients with osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). METHODS: After prospective sample size analysis, patients with symptomatic, recalcitrant Ferkel class 2b, 3, and 4 OLT were randomized to chondroplasty, microfracture, ...

Orthopaedic surgeons are being increasingly confronted with complex ankle problems that cannot be reliably treated by conventional arthrodesis procedures. The Ilizarov technique can be an alternative salvage method in such cases. Twenty-two Ilizarov tibiotalar arthrodeses were retrospectively reviewed. There were 16 men and six women (mean age 49 years). The ...

We assessed the influence of equinus gait treatments on the vertical displacement of the body's centre of mass (COM) in 21 patients with cerebral palsy (14 males, 7 females; mean age 8 y 9 mo [SD 2 y]; range 3 y 7 mo-17 y) presenting different topographical types (quadriplegia, n ...

This study presents the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 6 feet (4 patients) with relapsed idiopathic clubfoot that were treated with a combination of subtalar release and the Ilizarov method. The mean patient age at the time of the surgery was 7.4 years (range, 4.5-10.5 years), and the mean follow-up ...

Triple arthrodesis has long been used for the treatment of painful malalignment or arthritis of the hindfoot. However, the effect of fusion on adjacent joints has sparked interest in a more limited arthrodesis in patients without involvement of the calcaneocuboid joint. Results of 16 feet in 14 patients who had ...

OBJECTIVES: Assess whether postoperative ankle motion after fixation of a fracture of the tibial plafond, treated with articulated external fixation, leads to a better outcome when compared with similar treatment without postoperative ankle motion. DESIGN: Multicenter randomized trial. SETTING: Three Level I trauma centers. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-five patients were enrolled and ...

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of smoking on the operative treatment of established non-union of the carpal scaphoid. Case notes and radiographs of patients undergoing bone grafting and screw fixation of scaphoid non-unions were reviewed. There were 34 patients that had undergone 37 operations for ...

The treatment of idiopathic toe walking in children can include surgical lengthening of the gastrocnemius/soleus complex after conservative options have been ineffective. Previous outcome reports of surgery for idiopathic toe walkers have largely been limited to assessing the sagittal plane motion of dorsiflexion/plantar flexion with minimal quantitative preoperative and postoperative ...

In this retrospective study, both the patients' and surgeons' satisfaction with resection of the first through fifth metatarsal heads for long-standing rheumatoid forefoot deformity was evaluated. Thirty-four patients (56 feet) had first through fifth metatarsal head resection. After a mean time of 5.3 years, 39 feet (69.6%) (26 patients) were ...

The literature suggests mechanical interventions such as foot orthoses and night splints are effective in reducing pain from plantar fasciitis. There is, however, a lack of controlled trials. We studied the effects of foot orthoses and night splints, alone or combined, in a prospective, randomized trial with 1-year followup. Forty-three ...

Great variability exists in methods of stabilization for syndesmotic disruptions of the ankle. We hypothesized that syndesmotic screw fixation with 3.5-mm fully threaded cortical screws through either three or four cortices would have similar strength and rate of mechanical failure and that retention of screws after fracture healing would not ...

INTRODUCTION: Most fractures of the distal radius can be treated by conservative means; however, unstable distal radius fractures (DRFs) require surgical fixation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate functional and radiographic results of DRFs treated with a palmar plating system regarding patient's quality of life. METHODS: This study ...

Background: In Uganda, foot deformities of various kinds and complexities are common. The aim of this study was to evaluate and determine whether triple arthrodesis is an effective and reasonable operation in the African perspective. Method: The study population consisted of 36 patients who had triple athrodesis between 1996 and ...