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Background: Proper implant selection and placement is crucial during fixation of zone II and III fifth metatarsal fractures to avoid postoperative complications. This study examined the effects of screw parameters and placement on malreduction, delayed union, nonunion, and refracture rate. Methods: A retrospective review of zone II and proximal zone III fifth metatarsal fractures managed with intramedullary screw fixation was conducted. Comparisons were made between cortex distraction (gap) and ratios of screw length, diameter, and entry point. Further analysis was carried out between time to union and distraction in the lateral and plantar cortices. Results: The plantar and lateral gaps were both associated with the mean entry point ratio on the lateral and anteroposterior (AP) views (P <.001 for both views). No association between the plantar and lateral gaps and the screw diameter ratio (P =.393 for AP and P =.981 for lateral) or the screw length ratio (P =.966 for AP and P =.740 for lateral) was identified. The ratio of postoperative to preoperative apex height on AP and lateral views was correlated with the presence of lateral and plantar fracture gaps (P <.001). The presence of a plantar gap was associated with increased time to union (P =.022). A majority of fractures showed radiographic union at 12 weeks (38/43). Only 5 of 38 patients had delayed union. There were no refractures or nonunions as per available records. Conclusion: Plantar or lateral fracture site distraction (gap) was not influenced by screw diameter ratio or screw length ratio. The entry point ratio had a significant effect on plantar and lateral gaps on postoperative radiographs, with lateral and inferior placement leading to fracture site distraction. Patients with a plantar gap did have an increased risk of delayed union. The results of this study emphasize the significance of the entry point when managing zone II and III fifth metatarsal base fractures. Level of Evidence: Level IV, case series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Plantar fasciitis and achilles tendonopathy are two of the most common foot and ankle overuse conditions encountered in clinical practice. Several recent studies have shown isolated gastrocnemius recession to be a viable treatment option for these conditions when conservative management has failed. Patient outcomes have primarily been assessed through pain and functionality scores. While pain improvement and motion restoration are of utmost importance, plantar flexion power and endurance are also key to patients' ability to return to everyday activities. Here, we assess patient outcome scores of individuals that underwent gastrocnemius recession for plantar fascitis and achilles tendonopathy to see if surgery was beneficial. Methods: We reviewed 160 patients who underwent isolated gastrocnemius recession for chronic plantar fasciitis and achilles tendinopathy by a single surgeon from June 2011 to August 2018. Data was collected regarding patient pre-operative and postoperative pain scores at 3 months, 1 year, and final follow-up, and post-operative PROMIS physical function (PF), pain interference (PI), and depression (D) t-scores at final follow-up. We also collected data regarding time to full weight bearing, time to 50% and 100% pain relief, time to return to work, time to return to ADL, and time for patient to be out of boot. The patient population was then stratified by preoperative diagnosis and if patients received formal physical therapy. The cohorts consisted of patients that had plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinosis, or a combination of both. The other cohorts were patients that received formal physical therapy and those that did not receive physical therapy. Results: The average preopeartive VAS score fot plantar fasciitis Achilles tendinosis and a combination of both was 4.27 4.10 and 4.93 respectively. For patients that had 3 month follow up (96) all three cohorts saw a decrease in VAS scores at 3 months (1.98, 1.50, and 1.80 respectively). Patients who received physical therapy saw a larger decrease in VAS scores (2.05 vs 1.03 respectively). Patients in all three groups were able to be fully weight baring within 30 days. 20.27 days in the plantar fasciitis, 19.25 for Achilles tendinopathy, and 28.3 days in the combination cohort. Patients with Achillis tendinosis had were able to get out of their boot the fastest (29.75 days). PROMIS scores were similar across all cohorts. Conclusion: This study is the first to complete a through evaluation of patient outcomes after gastrocnemius recession. Additionally, the study is one of the largest cohorts. This study helps to confirm that the surgery is beneficial for both plantar fasciitis and achilles tendinosis. In all cohorts patients pain improved with surgical intervention despite preoperative diagnosis and physical therapy status. Additionally, PROMIS scores across all of the patients were similar and did not indicate any signifcant decreases in physical function or increases in pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Ankle fractures are a common injury in the United States leading to increased ER visits and healthcare costs. Additionally, these injuries normally lead to prolonged immobilization that can make it difficult for patients to return to work and normal activities. By optimizing fracture healing and decreasing the amount of time to union patients can avoid the frustration of prolonged immobilization and return to daily activities more quickly. It is believed that early surgical fixation of ankle fractures can lead to wound complications while late fixation can lead to issues with reduction during surgical intervention. This study was undertaken to determine if there is a difference in wound complication and time to union between early and late fracture fixation. Methods: From July of 2008 to June of 2018, a retrospective chart review of 321 patients who underwent ankle fracture corrected with ORIF was performed at a single institution. Patients with pilon fractures, poly trauma, open fractures, or less than 3 months of follow up time were excluded from our study. After exclusion were made there was 232 patients remaining. All patients were then stratified by time to surgery after injury and injury classification. The cohorts were surgery within 2 days with 31 patients, surgery within 7 days with 69 patients, and patients that had surgery after 8 days (132). The patients were also stratified according to the Lauge-Hansen classification. The cohorts were PA, PER, SA, and SER. Results: The average time to union for patients who were operated on within 2 days of injury was 108.48 days, 106.52 days for patients operated on between 3-7 days, and 97.59 days for patients operated on after 7 days. Wound complications were highest in the cohort operated on within 2 days at 9.6%. Patients operated on between 3 and 7 days had the lowest rate of wound complications at 2.8%/. Patients with an SER Lauge-Hansen classification has the fastest time to union at 94.04 days and individuals with an SA had the longest at 139.30 days. Wound frequency for patients with a classification of PA had the highest wound complications at 20%. Conclusion: There has been little research done on how time to surgery affects wound complications and healing time in ankle fracture fixation. Patients that received surgery after 7 days achieved union the fastest. We saw that wound complication rate was greatest in the cohort that had surgery within 2 days of injury. Injury classification did factor into union time and wound complications. Overall, there was not a significant difference in wound complication between early fixation and delayed fixation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Instrumentation System (PROMIS) has become increasingly utilized in orthopaedic foot and ankle surgery to assess outcomes and better understand patient function, pain, and disability. Similarly, the Foot Function Index (FFI) is used to assess pain, disability, and activity limitation. PROMIS scores have been shown to predict, preoperatively, which patients will benefit most from foot and ankle surgery from a general perspective. It is currently unknown, with regard to chronic foot pathology, which region of the foot has the greatest effect on PROMIS and FFI scores and which region is affected the most by surgical intervention. Methods: PROMIS physical function, pain index, and depression scores along with FFI scoring subsets of pain, disability, and activity limitation were retrospectively reviewed for patients at a tertiary referral center with chronic pathology in either the hindfoot, midfoot, or forefoot that underwent surgery. Scores were obtained preoperatively and at 6 weeks postoperatively, and a preoperative to postoperative difference was calculated. Once the mean of each subcategory was obtained, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted in order to compare the means and identify statistically significant differences. Significance was set at p < 0.05 and p < 0.10. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the mean preoperative PROMIS or FFI scores in the forefoot, midfoot, or hindfoot regions. There was also no statistically significant difference between means of PROMIS or FFI categories at 6 weeks postoperatively. However, the mean pre- to postoperative differences between PROMIS physical function scores of the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot were statistically significantly different at 9.12, 8.16, and 2.88, respectively (p=0.037). There was no statistically significant difference between the remaining scoring categories. Conclusion: Physical function, pain, depression, disability, and activity limitation are not affected disparately by the location of chronic pathology within the foot. Surgical intervention for problems in the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot does not provide differences in outcomes with regard to pain, disability, depression, or activity limitation based on region. Patients who have undergone surgical intervention for forefoot or midfoot pathology may experience greater improvements in physical function postoperatively when compared to patients who have undergone hindfoot surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Studies have shown that patients enrolled in Medicaid have difficulty obtaining access to care compared to patients with private insurance. Whether variables such as geographic location, state expansion vs. non-expansion, and private versus academic affiliation affect access to care among foot and ankle surgery patients enrolled in Medicaid has not been previously established. Methods: Twenty providers from each of five Medicaid-expanded and five non-expanded states in different U.S. geographic regions were randomly chosen via the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) directory. One investigator contacted each office requesting the earliest available appointment for their fictitious relative's acute Achilles tendon rupture or hallux valgus. Investigator insurance was stated to be Medicaid for half of phone calls, and Blue-Cross Blue-Shield (BCBS) for the other half. Appointment success rate and average time to appointment were compared between private insurance and Medicaid. Results were further compared across geographic regions, between private and academic practices, and between urgent acute injury (Achilles rupture) and chronic non-urgent injury (hallux valgus). Results: Appointments were successful for all 100 (100%) calls made with BCBS, in comparison to 73 of 100 calls (73%) with Medicaid (p<0.001). Both acute and chronic injury had significantly higher success rates with BCBS than Medicaid (p<0.001). Appointment success rate was significantly lower with Medicaid than with BCBS (p<=0.01) in all geographic regions. Success rate with Medicaid (66.7%) was significantly lower than with BCBS (100.0%, p<0.001) for private practice offices, but not for academic practices. Conclusion: Patients with Medicaid experience difficulty in obtaining appointments for common non-emergent foot and ankle problems and may experience increased difficulty scheduling appointments at private rather than academic institutions. The medical community should continue to seek and identify potential interventions which can improve access to orthopaedic care for all patients, regardless of insurance status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Tibiotalocalcaneal (TTC) fusion is used to treat a variety of conditions affecting the ankle and subtalar joint, including osteoarthritis (OA), Charcot arthropathy, avascular necrosis (AVN) of the talus, failed total ankle arthroplasty, and severe deformity. The prevalence of postoperative complications remains high due to the complexity of hindfoot disease seen in these patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between preoperative conditions and postoperative complications in order to predict the outcome following primary TTC fusion. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 101 patients who underwent TTC fusion at the same institution between 2011 and 2019. Risk ratios (RRs) associated with age, sex, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, smoking, preoperative ankle deformity, and the use of bone graft during surgery were related to the postoperative complications. We determined from these data which pre- and perioperative factors significantly affected the outcome. Results: Patients with a preoperative diagnosis of Charcot arthropathy and non-traumatic OA had significantly higher nonunion rates of 44.4% (12 patients) and 39.1% (18 patients) (p = 0.016) and infection rates of 29.6% (eight patients) and 37% (17 patients) compared to patients with traumatic arthritis, respectively (p = 0.002). There was a significantly increased rate of nonunion in diabetic patients (RR 2.22; p = 0.010). Patients with chronic kidney disease were 2.37-times more likely to have a nonunion (p = 0.006). Patients aged over 60 years had more than a three-fold increase in the rate of postoperative infection (RR 3.60; p = 0.006). The use of bone graft appeared to be significantly protective against postoperative infection (p = 0.019). Conclusion: We were able to confirm, in the largest series of TTC ankle fusions currently in the literature, that there remains a high rate of complications following this procedure. Those with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or aged over 60 years had an increased risk of nonunion. These findings help to confirm those of previous studies. Additionally, our study adds to the literature by showing that autologous bone graft may help in decreasing infection rates. This helps surgeons further understand which patients are at a higher risk for postoperative complications when undergoing TTC fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Tibiocalcaneal (TC) arthrodesis is commonly performed in patients with severe hindfoot disease. These include severe Charcot deformities, ankle malformations, chronic osteomyelitis (COM), and avascular necrosis (AVN). The talar vasculature becomes disrupted to the point that the bone can no longer be salvaged. The procedure involves performing a talectomy and fusing the tibia to the calcaneus. This helps in preserving the remaining hindfoot anatomy while allowing the patient to regain function and mobility. Our study highlights certain risk factors that influence the rate of postoperative complication after tibiocalcaneal surgery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 18 patients from a single institution who underwent tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis between the years of 2011 and 2019. Preoperative diagnoses, comorbidities, post-operative outcomes were noted among all patients. Then, the rates of non-union, below-knee amputations, revision surgeries, postoperative infections, and hardware failure were recorded. This data was then analyzed to determine which preoperative and perioperative factors affected postoperative outcomes for patients after tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis surgery. Results: Nonunion was the most commonly reported complication in this series. Eight of the eighteen patients were documented to have nonunion including three patients with stable pseudarthrosis. Diabetic patients had a slightly higher incidence of nonunion (4 of 7 patients) compared to those without diabetes (4 of 11 patients). Of the 9 patients diagnosed with Charcot arthropathy, 5 had nonunion. Three of five individuals with a BMI ranging from 25-30, and four of six individuals with a BMI of greater than 30 had a nonunion. Infection was a post-operative complication for four of the eighteen patients. Two of the four patients had multiple comorbidities in addition to chronic infections in the joint which were recurrent after surgery. Conclusion: In conclusion, TC arthrodesis provides a viable option for high risk patients with complicated ankle pathology who have not had successful outcomes from previous treatment. It is not without complications considering the comorbidities the patients present with before requiring this procedure. Further studies are necessary in order to validate the trends of outcomes and comorbidities of patients with TC arthrodesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Percutaneous fixation of 5th metatarsal fractures may lead to malreduction due to improper implant selection and placement. Our aim was to test the effects of screw entry, length, and diameter on malreduction, delayed union, non-union, or refracture. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed zone II and proximal zone III 5th metatarsal fractures managed with intramedullary screw fixation. Comparisons were made between plantar cortex distraction/lateral cortex distraction and ratios of screw length, diameter, and entry point using multiple regression analysis. A further analysis was carried out between time to union and distraction in the lateral and plantar cortices. Results: Plantar and lateral gap were both correlated with entry point ratio on lateral and AP view respectively (p<0.001 for both views). We did not see an association between plantar and lateral gap with screw diameter ratio (p=0.393 for AP and p=0.981 for lateral) or screw length ratio (p=0.966 for AP and p=0.740 for Lateral). Ratio of postop/preop apex height on AP and lateral showed correlation to presence of lateral and plantar fracture gap respectively (p<0.0001). Presence of a plantar gap did have a slight influence on time to union (p=0.044). Most fractures showed radiographic union at 12 weeks (38/44 that were followed until union). There were no refractures or nonunions as per available records. Conclusion: Our study shows that screw length and diameter did not lead to significant plantar or lateral fracture site distraction. However, entry point had a significant effect on plantar and lateral gap on post-operative x-ray. Patients with a plantar gap did have an increased risk of delayed union. Entry point should be given more significance rather than screw diameter and length in managing zone 2/3 fifth metatarsal base fractures. This is contradictory to existing radiologic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Ankle arthrodesis remains the most popular surgical treatment option for end-stage ankle arthritis (ESAA) among surgeons in the United States. The primary objective endpoint for judging failure versus success of any arthrodesis is radiographic union versus nonunion. Overall, reported union rates in the last two decades have been excellent; however, there does remain significant variation in results with conflicting evidence regarding both treatment and patient factors that are associated with nonunion. We present a relatively large case series of ankle arthrodeses from a single institution with a high-risk patient population with the goal of further clarifying the patient and treatment factors that lead to nonunion. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 118 patients who underwent primary open or arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis at our institution between November 2014 and April 2019. Revision arthrodesis and patients with a history of complex open fracture were excluded. A minimum 6-month postoperative followup was required. The patients were divided into arthroscopic and open arthrodesis cohorts. The primary outcome measure was radiographic union at 6 months. Patient factors including demographics, BMI, medical comorbidities, and smoking status were analyzed as predictors of nonunion. Likewise, treatment factors such as surgical approach, method of fixation, and tourniquet time were analyzed as predictors of nonunion. Results: Of the 43 individuals that underwent arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis seven progressed to nonunion (16.27%). Among those undergoing open ankle arthrodesis 6 patients out of 46 progressed to nonunion (13.04%). In the arthroscopic cohort, individuals with preoperative lower extremity infection had a significantly higher rate of nonunion compared to those without infection (50.00%, p=0.0447). The open group had two significant predictors of nonunion: use of external fixation and low tourniquet time. Individuals who underwent arthrodesis with the use of an external fixator had a 100% nonunion rate compared to 11.11% for those treated with screws and 0% for those treated with plate fixation (p=0.020). Individuals that had a total tourniquet time under 90 minutes had a non-union rate of 66.67% (p=0.0082). Conclusion: While it was unsurprising that preoperative infection was a significant risk factor for nonunion, it is interesting that this effect was only shown in the arthroscopic group and not the open group. This could have practice implications and warrants further study. Our findings also add to the body of evidence that external fixation is inferior to modern internal fixation techniques for achieving bony fusion. This result may also reflect the poor preoperative prognosis of those requiring external fixation. There remains little evidence that diabetes, smoking, or BMI are significant risk factors for nonunion in primary ankle arthrodesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: As the field of foot and ankle surgery grows and new innovations continue to be made it is important that the quality of research improves. This will help to lay a strong foundation for current and future surgeons in the field. Leading journals need to set the tone for all orthopedic journals by publishing quality literature. This current study will look at all foot and ankle articles published by JBJS[A] over a 15-year period and analyze authorship, article type, geographic origin of articles, and level of evidence trends. This study will give a representative view of where foot and ankle research is currently and where it can go as we enter the new decade. Methods: A foot and ankle research fellow reviewed all of the articles published in JBJS[A] from January 2004 to December of 2018. Articles that related to foot and ankle topics were then selected to analyzed. Editorials, letters to the editor, announcements, technical notes, retraction notes, events, errata, retracted manuscripts, historical papers and pediatric foot and ankle articles were excluded. After exclusions were applied 321 and information pertaining to each article was analyzed. Additionally, a Google Scholar search was conducted for each article to determine the number of times an article had been cited. For calculations relating to median number of citations for each article we excluded articles that were published less than three years ago (2017 and 2018). For level of evidence a kappa value (0.82) was calculated to measure interobserver reliability between two reviewers. Results: We found the following results to be significant. Clinical therapeutic studies were the predominant study design over 15 years. The amount of literature over ankle arthroplasty has increased more than any other article topic. The amount of level IV and V evidence has decreased and the amount of level II and III evidence has increased. The median number of authors has been increasing. This includes female authorship. There has been in an increase in MD, PhDs as last authors. There is more foot and ankle research being produced by Asian countries. A majority of high level of evidence articles (level I and II) comes from North America and Europe. Level of evidence doesn't correlate with the amount of times an article is cited. Conclusion: As the field of foot and ankle surgery continues to grow it is important that there is a high quality of research being conducted and published to guide surgical and clinical decisions. Our study shows that research is being produced more globally and the number of individuals involved in the research process is increasing and diversifying. This has led to higher quality research being produced (more level II and III) and a decrease in lower quality research (IV and V). Overall, the standard of research has increased in JBJS[A] which benefits the foot and ankle surgery community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Evidence-based research in the field of foot and ankle related trauma surgery has increased significantly over the past two decades and considerable emphasis is being put on publication quality and level of evidence (LOE). With foot and ankle surgery being a relatively new and growing field of orthopedics, minimal analysis has been performed on the LOE and authorship trends in foot and ankle related trauma publications. The purpose of this study is to evaluate LOE and authorship characteristics in foot and ankle related trauma publications in three different high impact factor journals. Methods: All of the foot and ankle related trauma publications from the years 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017 in Foot and Ankle International (FAI), Journal of Trauma (JOT), and The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American and British volumes) (JBJS) were analyzed. LOE of each article was determined by two external reviewers based on the JBJS LOE grading system. Country of origin for the first, last, and corresponding author of each article was evaluated, and fellowship data was obtained from a database for all United States authors. LOE, authorship, and publication trends were compared between both journals and publication year. Results: Over the 15-year period therapeutic studies were the prominent studies in all three journals. JBJS published the highest quality level of evidence and did not publish any level V evidence. The median number of authors was highest in JBJS. JOT publishes a majority of articles from North America (65%) while JBJS publishes more internationally (48% North American). Number of authors increased over time from a median of 3 in 1997 to a median of 5 in 2017. When evaluating the articles with available authorship fellowship data, JBJS and JOT had the highest percentage of articles with a trauma fellowship trained author at 77% and 53%, respectively. FAI had the highest percentage of articles with a foot and ankle fellowship trained author at 34%. Conclusion: From 1997 to 2017, there has been an increase in level 3 evidence foot and ankle related trauma publications and an emphasis on studies being conducted by fellowship trained authors. While the percentage of authors with MDs per publication remained similar over time, this study shows that publications have gradually increased the number of authors over time. There are key differences between the journals including level of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Purpose: Individuals with chronic foot pathologies often have an increased fall risk due to decreased power, deformity, or neuropathy. If patients do fall they can suffer injuries leading to emergency room visits, hospital admission, and surgery. Additionally, falls can increase the severity of their existing condition. This leads to an increase cost burden on the healthcare field and can ultimately decrease the quality of life for the patient. It is important to identify which foot pathologies are associated with the highest fall risk preoperatively and postoperatively. This study analyzes preoperative and postoperative fall data for patients with a variety of common forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot pathologies. Methods: Over the course of 2019 70 patients had preoperative and 2-week and 6-week postoperative fall data collected in clinic prior to and after surgery. These patients were subdivided into three cohorts based on the location of foot pathology. This included 25 patients for forefoot, 20 patients for midfoot and 20 patients for hindfoot. We had patients complete several surveys that pertained to previous fall history, fall risks, fall history after surgery, current medical status, and use of an assistant device. The John's Hopkins Fall Risk Assessment tool and the survey pertaining to fall risk from the national council on aging were validated surveys that were completed. Results: Patients that suffered from a hindfoot pathology had the highest risk of suffering a fall preoperatively. Of the 25 patients in the hindfoot cohort 36% experienced at least one fall in the 12 months prior to surgery. Patients with forefoot and hindfoot pathologies experienced the most falls prior to surgery (0.64 and 0.60 respectively). Postoperatively patients with midfoot pathologies had the highest frequency of falls with 35% experiencing at least one fall within the 2-week period after surgery. The midfoot cohort also experience the most falls postoperatively averaging 0.50 falls. Preoperatively all patients completed a John's Hopkins fall risk assessment and the scores for forefoot midfoot and hindfoot were 6.32, 4.70, 6.96 respectively. With a score of over 6 indicating moderate fall risk. Conclusion: This information can help to identify which patients undergoing surgery for chronic foot pathologies are at the highest risk for preoperative and postoperative falls. Our study suggests that individuals with hindfoot pathologies are at greatest risk for preoperative falls and patients with midfoot pathologies have the greatest risk for postoperative falls. This study can help to guide patient management and decrease fall risk by understanding which patients are most susceptible. We are currently undertaking a prospective study looking at how preoperative mobility device training can reduce postoperative fall risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]