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Background: Growing clinical interest in the treatment of acquired foot deformity due to diabetes-associated Charcot foot arthropathy has led to multiple reports of favorable clinical outcomes in patients when their acquired deformity is at the midfoot level. Clinical failures and less than optimal clinical outcomes are achieved when the deformity is at the hindfoot or ankle levels., Methods: A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent surgical correction of diabetes-associated Charcot foot arthropathy with talocalcaneal dislocation over an 18-year period. Reduction of the talocalcaneal dislocation, and maintenance of the correction with percutaneous pins and circular external fixation after subtalar joint preparation for fusion, was used as the method of surgically achieving a clinically plantigrade foot. Clinical outcomes were based on resolution of infection, limb salvage, and the ability to ambulate with commercially available therapeutic footwear., Results: Forty-three feet in 39 patients were included. A favorable clinical outcome was achieved in 32 of 43 feet (74%) with 26 (60%) considered to have an "excellent" result with minimal shoeing issues and 6 (14%) considered to have a "good" outcome based on their need for a custom shoe modification and/or some form of short ankle-foot orthosis. Eleven feet (26%) were judged to have a "poor" clinical outcome and among those 11 feet, 6 underwent partial, or whole-foot amputation, 2 had persistent wounds, and 5 required the use of a standard ankle foot orthosis or Charcot Restraint Orthotic Walker (CROW)., Conclusion: Subtalar dislocation in Charcot arthropathy is a complex clinical problem. In our series, reduction and maintenance of the reduction after subtalar dislocation was essential for a favorable clinical outcome., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Michael S. Pinzur, MD, and Adam P. Schiff, MD, report payment or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers’ bureaus, manuscript writing, or educational events from Stryker, lectures; DJO/Enovis, lectures. Disclosure forms for all authors are available online.

The aim of this paper is to review the recent literature regarding the epidemiology and surgical management of Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy (CNO). We propose that a fundamental change in the approach and assumptions regarding the historical treatment of active CNO should be considered. Although the true incidence and prevalence of CNO in the US population with diabetes are not known, we estimated the incidence to be 27,602 per year and the prevalence to be 208,880 persons. In persons with diabetes, the incidence of CNO is higher than that of prostate, lung, kidney, and thyroid cancer, and in the entire US population, the incidence of CNO is higher than that of multiple myeloma, soft tissue sarcoma, and primary bone sarcoma. In persons with diabetes, the incidence of CNO is higher than fractures of the femoral shaft, distal femur, tibia, talus, calcaneus and Lisfranc ligament injuries. Surgical techniques have evolved over the past half century, and surgery is the standard for treating displaced fractures and intra-articular injuries. Since CNO is a fracture, dislocation, or fracture dislocation in patients with neuropathy, why do we treat CNO differently? Elsewhere in the skeleton displaced osseous and ligament injuries are treated surgically. Based on the information presented in this manuscript, we suggest that it is time for a paradigm shift in the treatment of persons with CNO. While uncommon, CNO in persons with diabetes is not rare. Given the advances in surgical techniques, surgical intervention should be considered earlier in persons with CNO who are at risk for developing deformity related foot ulceration., (© 2023 The Authors. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Neuroarthropathy of the foot and ankle presents a series of challenges. The treating physician faces a perfect storm of pathomechanics, deformity, and medical comorbidities. Successful treatment requires a systematic approach in diagnosis, nonsurgical management, surgical management, and long-term maintenance of the affected extremity. Nonsurgical care of the Charcot foot remains the mainstay of treatment and is successful in most cases. Surgery has become more accepted for patients with severe deformity. The concept of a superconstruct has been introduced to describe modern surgical techniques and implants that have been developed since the early 2000s where stability and durability are maximized. A superconstruct is defined by four factors: (1) fusion is extended beyond the zone of injury to bridge the area of bony dissolution; (2) aggressive bone resection is performed to allow for adequate reduction of deformity without undue tension on the soft-
tissue envelope; (3) stronger implants are used than for nonneuropathic fusion procedures, including some specifically developed for fixation of the Charcot foot; and (4) the devices are applied in a position that maximizes mechanical stability to allow the implants to become load sharing. It is important to review the current techniques and implants used in fusion of the neuropathic midfoot and discuss the expected outcomes and complications based on the authors' experience.

Aim: To evaluate the real-life diagnosis and therapeutic means of Charcot Neuroosteoarthropathy (CN) in French-Belgian diabetic foot expert centers., Methods: We collected clinical characteristics, results of exams and therapeutic pathways of consecutive adult patients with diabetic osteoarthropathy seen in consultation or hospitalization from January 1 to December 31, 2019 in 31 diabetic foot expert centers. The primary outcome was to describe the diagnostic and management methods for CN according to patient clinical characteristics, the clinical-radiological characteristics of acute and chronic CN and discharge means., Results: 467 patients were included: 364 with chronic CN and 103 in the acute phase. 101 patients had bilateral chronic CN. Most patients were male (73.4%), treated with insulin (73.3%), and with multicomplicated diabetes. In the acute phase, edema and increased foot temperature were present in 75% and 58.3% of cases, respectively. Diagnosis confirmation was usually by MRI and the mode of discharge was variable. In the chronic phase, orthopedic shoes were prescribed in 81.5% of cases., Conclusions: This observational study highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic practices in 31 diabetic foot centers. Our results highlight that the use of MRI and the modalities of offloading, an essential treatment in the acute phase, need to be better standardized. Centers were highly encouraging about creating a patient registry., (© 2023. Springer-Verlag Italia S.r.l., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The cause of Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy (CN) is diabetes in approximately 75% of patients. Most reports on the clinical course and complications of CN focus on diabetic CN, and reports on nondiabetic CN are scarce. No study, to our knowledge, has compared the clinical course of patients initially treated nonoperatively for diabetic and nondiabetic CN., Questions/purposes: Among patients with CN, are there differences between patients with diabetes and those without in terms of (1) the frequency of major amputation as ascertained by a competing risks survivorship estimator; (2) the frequency of surgery as ascertained by a competing risks survivorship estimator; (3) frequency of reactivation, as above; or (4) other complications (contralateral CN development or ulcers)?, Methods: Between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2018, we treated 199 patients for diabetic CN. Eleven percent (22 of 199) were lost before the minimum study follow-up of 2 years or had incomplete datasets and could not be analyzed, and another 9% (18 of 199) were excluded for other prespecified reasons, leaving 80% (159 of 199) for analysis in this retrospective study at a mean follow-up duration since diagnosis of 6 ± 4 years. During that period, we also treated 78 patients for nondiabetic Charcot arthropathy. Eighteen percent (14 of 78) were lost before the minimum study follow-up and another 5% (four of 78 patients) were excluded for other prespecified reasons, leaving 77% (60 of 78) of patients for analysis here at a mean of 5 ± 3 years. Patients with diabetic CN were younger (59 ± 11 years versus 68 ± 11 years; p < 0.01), more likely to smoke cigarettes (37% [59 of 159] versus 20% [12 of 60]; p = 0.02), and had longer follow-up (6 ± 4 years versus 5 ± 3 years; p = 0.02) than those with nondiabetic CN. Gender, BMI, overall renal failure, dialysis, and presence of peripheral arterial disease did not differ between the groups. Age difference and length of follow-up were not considered disqualifying problems because of the later onset of idiopathic neuropathy and longer available patient follow-up in patients with diabetes, because our program adheres to the follow-up recommendations suggested by the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot. Treatment was the same in both groups and included serial total-contact casting and restricted weightbearing until CN had resolved. Then, patients subsequently transitioned to orthopaedic footwear. CN reactivation was defined as clinical signs of the recurrence of CN activity and confirmation on MRI. Group-specific risks of the frequencies of major amputation, surgery, and CN reactivation were calculated, accounting for competing events. Group comparisons and confounder analyses were conducted on these data with a Cox regression analysis. Other complications (contralateral CN development and ulcers) are described descriptively to avoid pooling of complications with varying severity, which could be misleading., Results: The risk of major amputation (defined as an above-ankle amputation), estimated using a competing risks survivorship estimator, was not different between the diabetic CN group and nondiabetic CN group at 10 years (8.8% [95% confidence interval 4.2% to 15%] versus 6.9% [95% CI 0.9% to 22%]; p = 0.4) after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as smoking and peripheral artery disease. The risk of any surgery was no different between the groups as estimated by the survivorship function at 10 years (53% [95% CI 42% to 63%] versus 58% [95% CI 23% to 82%]; p = 0.3), with smoking (hazard ratio 2.4 [95% CI 1.6 to 3.6]) and peripheral artery disease (HR 2.2 [95% CI 1.4 to 3.4]) being associated with diabetic CN. Likewise, there was no between-group difference in CN reactivation at 10 years (16% [95% CI 9% to 23%] versus 11% [95% CI 4.5% to 22%]; p = 0.7) after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as smoking and peripheral artery disease. Contralateral CN occurred in 17% (27 of 159) of patients in the diabetic group and in 10% (six of 60) of those in the nondiabetic group. Ulcers occurred in 74% (117 of 159) of patients in the diabetic group and in 65% (39 of 60) of those in the nondiabetic group., Conclusion: Irrespective of whether the etiology of CN is diabetic or nondiabetic, our results suggest that orthopaedic surgeons should use similar nonsurgical treatments, with total-contact casting until CN activity has resolved, and then proceed with orthopaedic footwear. A high frequency of foot ulcers must be anticipated and addressed as part of the treatment approach., Level of Evidence: Level III, prognostic study., Competing Interests: Each author certifies that there are no funding or commercial associations (consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article related to the author or any immediate family members. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request., (Copyright © 2023 by the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons.)

Syringomyelia is an important etiology of Charcot arthropathy of the elbow. We present five interesting patients, along with a systematic literature review summarizing the clinical profile and management of syringomyelia-induced Charcot arthropathy of the elbow. PUBMED, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and Science Direct databases were screened for English articles published between 1980 and 2022 using the search query: "Syringomyelia" AND "elbow" AND ("arthropathy" OR "neuropathic" OR "Charcot"). Articles without full text and/or lack of conclusive evidence of elbow arthropathy due to syringomyelia were excluded. The reference lists of the selected articles were reviewed to identify additional articles describing syringomyelia-induced Charcot arthropathy of the elbow. All five patients in the current series had elbow arthritis with variable motor weakness and dissociated sensory loss. The literature review included 31 reports (45 patients) and five patients from our center (n = 50). The median age at presentation was 45 (13-77) years. The median duration of arthropathy was 24 (0.5-180) months. Thirty-three patients had isolated elbow arthropathies. The other joints affected included the shoulder (n = 13), wrist (n = 7), metacarpophalangeal joints (n = 3), and interphalangeal joints (n = 1). Chiari malformations were present in 33 (66%) patients. Sensory deficits, motor deficits, and ulnar neuropathies were described in 36 (72%), 31 (62%), and 14 (28%) patients, respectively. Surgical decompression for syringomyelia was performed in 13 (26%) patients. The presence of dissociated sensory loss, with or without motor weakness, is key to the suspicion of syringomyelia-induced Charcot arthropathy of elbow. Chiari malformation and ulnar neuropathy are frequently associated with this condition. Key Points • Charcot arthropathy of elbow is not so uncommon as believed • Syringomyelia is an important etiology of Charcot arthropathy of elbow • Therefore, all patients with elbow arthropathy of unknown etiology must be evaluated for dissociative sensory loss • Chiari malformation and ulnar neuropathy are commonly associated with syringomyelia-induced Charcot arthropathy of elbow joint., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).)

Bone in diabetes mellitus is characterized by an altered microarchitecture caused by abnormal metabolism of bone cells. Together with diabetic neuropathy, this is associated with serious complications including impaired bone healing culminating in complicated fractures and dislocations, especially in the lower extremities, so-called Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN). The underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood, and treatment of CN is challenging. Several in vitro and in vivo investigations have suggested positive effects on bone regeneration by modifying biomaterials with sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAG). Recent findings described a beneficial effect of sGAG for bone healing in diabetic animal models compared to healthy animals. We therefore aimed at studying the effects of low- and high-sulfated hyaluronan derivatives on osteoclast markers as well as gene expression patterns of osteoclasts and osteoblasts from patients with diabetic CN compared to non-diabetic patients with arthritis at the foot and ankle. Exposure to sulfated hyaluronan (sHA) derivatives reduced the exaggerated calcium phosphate resorption as well as the expression of genes associated with bone resorption in both groups, but more pronounced in patients with CN. Moreover, sHA derivatives reduced the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in osteoclasts of patients with CN. The effects of sHA on osteoblasts differed only marginally between patients with CN and non-diabetic patients with arthritis. These results suggest balancing effects of sHA on osteoclastic bone resorption parameters in diabetes.

Background: Five-year mortality and amputation frequencies after new-onset diabetic ulceration have been reported up to 55% and 74%, respectively. for patients with lower-extremity amputation. Following Charcot arthropathy, these frequencies were reported with wide variations. The aim of this meta-analysis is to provide a quantitative evaluation of amputation and mortality frequencies in a diabetic patient with a Charcot foot arthropathy., Methods: Electronic search strategy was applied on Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar since inception to December 2021. Extracted data included study design, sample and patients characteristics, diabetes type and duration, lab results, ulcers at diagnosis, co-morbidities and follow up period. Meta-analysis reporting random-effects values was used to generate the weights results., Results: A total of 16 studies were included in the quantitative meta-analysis with a pooled sample of 2250 patients with 2272 Charcot feet. Two studies including 255 patients yielded a 1-year mortality frequency of 4% (95% CI = 0.018-0.065). Seven studies including 1706 patients reported a 5-year mortality frequency of 24.5% (95% CI = 0.172-0.326, I² = 88.5%). Four studies including 277 patients yielded a seven plus year mortality frequency of 16% (95% CI = 0.065-0.289, I² = 84.3%). Ten studies including 871 foot yielded an amputation frequency of 15% (95% CI = 0.067-0.258, I² = 93.6%) where 9% where major amputations (95% CI = 0.062-0.127, I² = 60%) and 5% were minor amputations (95% CI = 0.004-0.126, I² = 94.7%) CONCLUSION: Diabetic Charcot arthropathy yields marked risk of amputation and mortality. However, mortality frequencies were unexpectedly lesser compared to those related to the published frequencies associated with diabetic foot ulcers., (Copyright © 2022 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Reconstruction of the Charcot foot and ankle demonstrates significant challenges to the foot and ankle surgeon. At present, there is limited clear consensus on the best approach for preoperative optimization. The primary aim of Charcot reconstructions is to limit the risk of ulceration by providing a stable plantigrade foot allowing ambulation. The focus of this article is the discussion of modifiable risk factors associated with Charcot reconstruction for preoperative optimization., Competing Interests: Disclosure K.J. Millonig is a Consultant for Orthofix., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) and its sequela is a disabling pathology in the foot and ankle. The 2-stage computer hexapod-assisted technique is an effective tool to address midfoot Charcot and ankle-hindfoot deformities to restore function and decrease the risk of amputation secondary to ulceration and infection. Although this is not the only technique available, it is an excellent option in cases with significant angular deformity or subluxation, need to reduce shortening of the foot, and in the presence of soft tissue defects, with or without concurrent soft tissue or bone infection., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Charcot arthropathy (CN) can ultimately lead to limb loss despite appropriate treatment. Initial conservative treatment is the accepted treatment in case of a plantigrade foot. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the mid- to long-term clinical course of CN initially being treated conservatively, and to identify risk factors for reactivation and contralateral development of CN as well as common complications in CN., Methods: A total of 184 Charcot feet in 159 patients (median age 60.0 (interquartile range (IQR) 15.5) years, 49 (30.1%) women) were retrospectively analyzed by patient chart review. Rates of limb salvage, reactivation, contralateral development and common complications were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to identify possible risk factors for limb loss, CN reactivation, contralateral CN development, and ulcer development., Results: Major amputation-free survival could be achieved in 92.9% feet after a median follow-up of 5.2 (IQR 4.25, range 2.2-11.25) years. CN recurrence occurred in 13.6%. 32.1% had bilateral CN involvement. Ulcers were present in 72.3%. 88.1% patients were ambulating in orthopaedic footwear without any further aids. Presence of Diabetes mellitus was associated with reactivation of CN, major amputation and ulcer recurrence. Smoking was associated with ulcer development and necessity of amputations., Conclusions: With consistent conservative treatment of CN with orthopaedic footwear or orthoses, limb preservation can be achieved in 92.9% after a median follow-up of 5.2 years. Patients with diabetic CN are at an increased risk of developing complications and CN reactivation. To prevent ulcers and amputations, every effort should be made to make patients stop smoking., Level of Evidence: III, long-term retrospective cohort study., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Charcot can be a difficult clinical entity to diagnose in the acute phase, and clinicians should have a high clinical suspicion in neuropathic patients who present with erythema, edema, and warmth of the foot or ankle. Immobilization and nonweight-bearing should be immediately initiated when the diagnosis of Charcot has been made and patients should remain nonweight-bearing until the affected bones/joints have coalesced. Educating patients and managing expectations is crucial to improve compliance with the conservative treatment of Charcot and avoid the long-term sequelae including severe deformity, ulceration and infection, and amputation., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) is a devastating complication of some diseases affecting the peripheral nervous system. Initial subjective and objective presentation of the disease can be variable. Common among all presentations seems to be uncontrolled inflammation yielding dislocations and/or fractures. The exact cause remains the subject of much debate., Methods: Our study retrospectively looks at the function of olfactory function in consecutive patients with CN and compares the findings with a nonaffected population. The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test was used to assess olfaction and document microsomia., Results: Twenty consecutive patients presenting with CN demonstrated significant (P < .0001) microsomia when compared to an unaffected population with diabetes., Conclusions: Microsomia is strongly associated with CN. This finding may be correlated to voltage-gated sodium 1.7 channel impairment and appears to be a candidate precursor for the development of CN.

It has been recognized since comprehensive descriptions by Jean-Martin Charcot in 1868 and 1883 that development of what is usually known as neuropathic osteoarthropathy (or the Charcot foot) requires the coincidence of neuropathy and inflammation. Despite this, detailed understanding of the causes has remained remarkably limited in the succeeding century and a half. The aim of this descriptive account is to draw particular attention to the processes involved in both the onset and resolution of the inflammation that is an essential component of active disease. The principal observation is that while neuropathy is common in people with diabetes, the inflammation and secondary skeletal damage that characterize neuropathic osteoarthropathy are observed in only a small minority of people with diabetes and with neuropathy. We therefore argue that the key to understanding the causes of the Charcot foot is to focus equally on those who have active disease as well as those who do not. Although neuropathy is essential for development of the disorder, neuropathy also has an adverse impact on the mechanisms involved in the onset of inflammation, and these may be critically affected in the majority of those who are susceptible. The Charcot foot is uncommon in people with diabetes (or any other cause of neuropathy) because the large majority of those with neuropathy may have also lost the capacity to mount the specific inflammatory reaction that is essential for its development., (© 2022 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Aims: To determine the degree patients with diabetic foot ulcers, Charcot neuroarthropathy and neuropathic fractures and dislocations fear complications (death, dialysis, heart attack, stroke, blindness, diabetic foot infection, minor and major lower extremity amputation [LEA]) that can occur and to assess if there is a difference between fears of patients with diabetic foot ulcers, Charcot neuroarthropathy and neuropathic fractures and dislocations and diabetic patients without these complications., Methods: 478 patients completed an eight question Likert scale survey. The study group was defined as non-infected foot ulcers, neuropathic fractures and Charcot neuroarthropathy., Results: Of the 478 patients, 121 (25.3 %) had diabetic foot ulcers, Charcot neuroarthropathy or neuropathic fractures and dislocations and 357 (74.7 %) did not. The study group had significantly higher odds of reporting extreme fear of foot infection (OR 2.8, 95 % CI 1.8-4.5), major LEA (OR 2.8, 95 % CI 1.8-4.4), minor LEA (OR 2.3, 95 % CI 1.5-3.5), blindness (OR 2.0, 95 % CI 1.3-3.2), dialysis (OR 2.0, 95 % CI 1.1-3.3), and death (OR 2.4, 95 % CI 1.4-4.2). In the study group highest rated fear measures were foot infection (3.71, SD 1.23), minor amputation (3.67, SD 1.45) and major amputation (3.63, SD 1.52). There were no significant differences in the mean fear of infection, minor amputation or major amputation., Conclusion: Patients with diabetic foot ulcers, Charcot neuroarthropathy or neuropathic fractures and dislocations reported higher fear ratings of diabetes-related complications compared to those without these complications., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: There is increasing interest in reconstruction of diabetes-associated Charcot foot arthropathy with the goal of improving quality of life., Methods: Twenty-four patients who completed the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) at baseline and one year following Charcot foot reconstruction were contacted and asked to complete the survey at five years following surgery., Results: Fourteen of the 24 patients completed the SMFA preoperatively, one year following surgery and five years postoperatively. Two patients underwent below knee amputation in the interim. Improvement was noted in all domains measured by the SMFA, with a statistically significant improvement in difficulty with daily activities at five years., Conclusion: Correction of non-plantigrade Charcot foot arthropathy results in clinically meaningful improvement in health-related quality of life at both one and five years postoperatively, including independence with daily activities. The improvement is maintained when reevaluated at five years. This supports the modern paradigm shift towards reconstruction of this deformity. Level of Evidence: III ., (Copyright © The Iowa Orthopaedic Journal 2022.)

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients show a markedly higher fracture risk and impaired fracture healing when compared to non-diabetic patients. However in contrast to type 1 diabetes mellitus, bone mineral density in T2DM is known to be normal or even regionally elevated, also known as diabetic bone disease. Charcot arthropathy is a severe and challenging complication leading to bone destruction and mutilating bone deformities. Wnt signaling is involved in increasing bone mineral density, bone homeostasis and apoptotic processes. It has been shown that type 2 diabetes mellitus is strongly associated with gene variants of the Wnt signaling pathway, specifically polymorphisms of TCF7L2 (transcription factor 7 like 2), which is an effector transcription factor of this pathway., Methods: Bone samples of 19 T2DM patients and 7 T2DM patients with additional Charcot arthropathy were compared to 19 non-diabetic controls. qPCR analysis for selected members of the Wnt-signaling pathway (WNT3A, WNT5A, catenin beta, TCF7L2) and bone gamma-carboxyglutamate (BGLAP, Osteocalcin) was performed and analyzed using the 2-ΔΔCt- Method. Statistical analysis comprised one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)., Results: In T2DM patients who had developed Charcot arthropathy WNT3A and WNT5A gene expression was down-regulated by 89 and 58% compared to healthy controls (p < 0.0001). TCF7L2 gene expression showed a significant reduction by 63% (p < 0.0001) and 18% (p = 0.0136) in diabetic Charcot arthropathy. In all diabetic patients BGLAP (Osteocalcin) was significantly decreased by at least 59% (p = 0.0019)., Conclusions: For the first time with this study downregulation of members of the Wnt-signaling pathway has been shown in the bone of diabetic patients with and without Charcot arthropathy. This may serve as future therapeutic target for this severe disease., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) is an inflammatory arthropathy associated with bony destruction, dislocation, and deformity in patients with neuropathy. Surgical procedures involving foot and ankle in CN for deformity correction have been shown to result in high rate of complications. The purpose of this study was to compare post-operative outcomes and assess odds of complication after ankle arthrodesis among patients with diabetes-related Charcot neuroarthropathy, non-Charcot patients with diabetes, and non-Charcot patients without diabetes., Methods: The PearlDiver Patient Records Database was queried for patients who underwent ankle fusion and maintained at least one year of post-operative follow-up. The following post-operative complications were assessed among groups: overall nonunion and amputation, one-year nonunion, amputation, and hardware removal, 90-day and 30-day surgical site infection, dehiscence, acute kidney injury, and pneumonia, and 90-day myocardial infarction and deep vein thrombosis. The odds and prevalence of each complication for each group were assessed and compared., Results: Higher rates of amputation (OR 3.43, CI 2.89-4.06), hardware removal (OR 1.63, CI 1.45-1.83), wound dehiscence (OR 1.75, CI 1.44-2.13), acute kidney injury (OR 2.87, CI 2.32-3.54), pneumonia (OR 1.53, CI 1.13-2.07), and surgical site infection (OR 2.46, CI 2.12-2.85), were observed in patients with diabetes-related CN compared to non-Charcot patients with diabetes. In patients without CN, higher rates of nonunion (OR 1.38, CI 1.19-1.61), amputation (OR 2.26, CI 1.74-2.93), surgical site infection (OR 1.57, CI 1.30-1.90), and acute kidney injury (OR 1.57, CI 1.18-2.09) were observed in patients with diabetes compared to patients without diabetes. Time to hardware removal was significantly shorter in diabetes-related Charcot patients compared to non-Charcot patients without diabetes (368.0 ± 446.7 vs 438.5 ± 487.5 days, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Patients with diabetes demonstrated increased odds of nonunion, amputation, surgical site infection, and acute kidney injury compared to patients without diabetes. In the population of patients with diabetes, odds of most of these complications were further increased with the addition of Charcot diagnosis compared to patients without diabetes. Other local and multisystemic medical conditions, including pneumonia and wound dehiscence, also demonstrated increased odds in patients of CN., Level of Evidence: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: In our unit, we adopt a two-stage surgical reconstruction approach using internal fixation for the management of infected Charcot foot deformity. We evaluate our experience with this functional limb salvage method., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of all patients with infected Charcot foot deformity who underwent two-stage reconstruction with internal fixation between July 2011 and November 2019, with a minimum of 12 months' follow-up., Results: We identified 23 feet in 22 patients with a mean age of 56.7 years (33 to 70). The mean postoperative follow-up period was 44.7 months (14 to 99). Limb salvage was achieved in all patients. At one-year follow-up, all ulcers have healed and independent full weightbearing mobilization was achieved in all but one patient. Seven patients developed new mechanical skin breakdown; all went on to heal following further interventions. Fusion of the hindfoot was achieved in 15 of 18 feet (83.3%). Midfoot fusion was achieved in nine of 15 patients (60%) and six had stable and painless fibrous nonunion. Hardware failure occurred in five feet, all with broken dorsomedial locking plate. Six patients required further surgery, two underwent revision surgery for infected nonunion, two for removal of metalwork and exostectomy, and two for dynamization of the hindfoot nail., Conclusion: Two-stage reconstruction of the infected and deformed Charcot foot using internal fixation and following the principle of 'long-segment, rigid and durable internal fixation, with optimal bone opposition and local antibiotic elusion' is a good form of treatment provided a multidisciplinary care plan is delivered. Cite this article: Bone Joint J  2021;103-B(10):1611-1618.

Objective: Diabetes can affect the eye in many ways beyond retinopathy. This study sought to evaluate ocular disease and determine any associations with peripheral neuropathy (PN) or cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and Charcot arthropathy (CA) patients., Design: A total of 60 participants were included, 16 of whom were individuals with T2D/CA, 21 of whom were individuals with T2D who did not have CA, and 23 of whom were healthy controls. Ocular surface evaluations were performed, and cases of dry eye disease (DED) were determined using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, ocular surface staining, Schirmer test, and Oculus Keratograph 5M exams. All variables were used to classify DED and ocular surface disorders such as aqueous deficiency, lipid deficiency, inflammation, and ocular surface damage. Pupillary and retinal nerve fiber measurements were added to the protocol in order to broaden the scope of the neurosensory ocular evaluation. PN and CAN were ascertained by clinical examinations involving the Neuropathy Disability Score (for PN) and Ewing's battery (for CAN)., Results: Most ocular variables evaluated herein differed significantly between T2D patients and controls. When the controls were respectively compared to patients with T2D and to patients with both T2D and CA, they differed substantially in terms of visual acuity (0.92 ± 0.11, 0.73 ± 0.27, and 0.47 ± 0.26, p=0.001), retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (96.83 ± 6.91, 89.25 ± 10.44, and 80.37 ± 11.67 µm, p=0.03), pupillometry results (4.10 ± 0.61, 3.48 ± 0.88, and 2.75 ± 0.81 mm, p=0.0001), and dry eye symptoms (9.19 ± 11.71, 19.83 ± 19.08, and 24.82 ± 24.40, p=0.03). DED and ocular surface damage also differed between individuals with and without CA, and were associated with PN and CAN., Conclusion: CA was found to be significantly associated with the severity of ocular findings. DED in cases of CA was also associated with PN and CAN. These findings suggest that intrinsic and complex neurosensory impairment in the eyes, peripheral sensory nerves, and the autonomic nervous system are somehow connected. Thus, a thorough ocular evaluation may be useful to highlight neurological complications and the impact of diabetes on ocular and systemic functions and structures., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Trindade, Castro de Vasconcelos, Ayub, Grupenmacher, Gomes Huarachi, Viturino, Correa-Giannella, Atala, Engelbrecht Zantut-Wittmann, Parisi and Alves.)

Case: The authors present a case of syringobulbia in a setting of elbow arthropathy due to syringomyelia. The patient had painless elbow instability with subtle neurological findings such as ulnar neuropathy, palatal palsy, and dysphonia. As she denied surgery, she was managed with physiotherapy and orthosis. At 24 months of follow-up, she had good clinical outcome without neurological or functional worsening., Conclusion: Many patients with neuropathic joints due to syringomyelia present to an orthopaedician before a neurologist. A high index of suspicion and thorough neurological examination is essential. Conservative management of such a joint provided good results in this patient., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B382)., (Copyright © 2021 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Background: Failed conservative treatment and complications are indications for foot reconstruction in Charcot arthropathy. External fixation using the Ilizarov principles offers a one-stage procedure for deformity correction and resection of osteomyelitic bone. The aim of this study was to determine whether external fixation with an Ilizarov ring fixator leads reliably to walking ability., Materials and Methods: 29 patients treated with an Ilizarov ring fixator for Charcot arthropathy were retrospectively analyzed. Radiologic fusion at final follow up was assessed separately on conventional X-rays by two authors. The association between walking ability and the presence of osteomyelitis at the time of reconstruction, and the presence of fusion at final follow up was investigated using Fisher's exact test., Results: Mean follow up was 35 months (range 5.3-107) months; mean time of external fixation was 113 days. Ten patients (34.5%) reached fusion, but 19 did not (65.5%). Two patients needed below knee amputation. 26 of the remaining 27 patients maintained walking ability, 23 of those without assistive devices. Walking ability was independent from the presence of osteomyelitis at the time of reconstruction and from the presence of fusion., Conclusion: Foot reconstruction with an Ilizarov ring fixator led to limb salvage in 93%. The vast majority (96.3%) of patients with successful limb salvage was ambulatory, independent from radiologic fusion, and presence of osteomyelitis at the time of reconstruction. These findings encourage limb salvage and deformity correction in this difficult-to-treat disease, even with underlying osteomyelitis.

Background: Tibiotalocalcaneal (TTC) arthrodesis with a nail can be an effective salvage procedure for several foot and ankle pathologies, but has a relatively high complication rate. The purpose of this study is to investigate risk factors associated with complications after TTC arthrodesis with a nail., Methods: Clinical and radiographic outcomes for 82 patients from 2012 to 2016 who underwent TTC arthrodesis with a nail were retrospectivelyevaluated to determine if patient or surgeon specific variables offered prognostic value in predicting negative outcomes., Results: Diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, high (>2) American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, and Charcot neuroarthropathy all were predictive of developing a nonunion in either the subtalar ortibiotalar joints (p<0.05). Diabetic neuropathy was predictive ofreoperation, and along with HbA1C >7.5 was also predictive of hardwarefailure. The odds ratio (OR) for diabetic neuropathy was 2.99 (p<0.05)for nonunion in the tibiotalar or subtalar joints, 3.46 (p<0.05) for reoperation,and 4.11 (p<0.05) for hardware failure. High ASAclassification had an odds ratio of 3.93 (p<0.05) for nonunion in the tibiotalar or subtalar joints as well. Diabetes had an odds ratio of 2.57 (p<0.05) for nonunion., Conclusions: Patients with diabetic neuropathy, Charcot neuroarthropathy, elevated HbA1C, and ASA classification >2 demonstrated a higher complication rate in patients undergoing TTC arthrodesis with a nail., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The local intrinsic abductor digiti minimi muscle flap is ideal for lateral, plantar lateral traumatic or diabetic foot wounds following adequate surgical debridement to eradicate any soft tissue and/or osseous infection. Although the indications and surgical technique have been well-described in the literature, the authors present a unique modification of tunnelling the harvested muscle flap directly from the donor site to the plantar recipient foot wound by maintaining the intact overlying skin island at the surface of the fifth metatarsal base. This modification allows preservation of the patient's skin integrity in this area, thereby minimising potential morbidity at the major pedicle site. After the harvested muscle is tunnelled through the intact skin island, an adjacent local random flap mobilisation, autogenous or allogeneic skin graft can then be used for coverage over the muscle inset if primary wound closure is not feasible. Simultaneous soft tissue or osseous surgical procedures and/or surgical offloading with external fixation at the time of index surgery may be necessary to achieve optimal outcomes. The authors present a modified surgical technique for the abductor digiti minimi muscle flap that can be performed in the surgical reconstruction of a soft tissue wound in patients with diabetic Charcot neuroarthropathy.

Introduction: Diabetes affects 30 million children and adults in the United States, equivalent to 1 out of every 11 people in the country, and results in costs of $327 billion annually. Interventions that can improve healing rates and/or reduce the size of diabetic ulcers may lower the incidence of infection, rate of amputations, and cost of care. This report is on the use of a collagen wound contact layer in conjunction with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) to achieve healing in a chronic diabetic foot ulcer (DFU)., Case Report: A known patient with type 1 diabetes presented with a chronic DFU of 6 months' duration. Previous treatment modalities included offloading regimens and topical therapies (ie, clostridial collagenase, human platelet-derived growth factors, and 6 applications of a human amniotic membrane allograft). A collagen wound contact layer was applied to the debrided wound bed with subsequent debridements performed every other week, weekly NPWT dressing changes, and weekly contact layer changes. A 91% reduction in wound area was seen at day 35, with complete healing at day 63, and no recurrence at 18 months., Conclusions: The combination of a collagen wound contact layer and weekly NPWT had a significantly positive effect on healing in this chronic DFU. The regimen was well-tolerated and simple to administer in this case.

Neuropathic arthropathy is a pathology involving both upper and lower limbs. Different neurological diseases can cause this arthropathy. For instance, shoulder Charcot arthropathies are mostly associated to syringomyelia. The initial diagnosis of this arthropathy is difficult and often delayed in the presence of usually non specific symptoms. Since articular destruction is present in this disease, early diagnosis and primary management of the neurological condition is important, as it slows down the destruction of the joint., Competing Interests: Les auteurs n’ont déclaré aucun conflit d’intérêts en relation avec cet article.

Aims: We studied mortality in individuals of diabetes with or without Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN)., Methods: People attending diabetic foot care facility with CN of foot (Cohort 1) were prospectively evaluated. Details pertaining to the duration of diabetes, microvascular and macrovascular complications, foot ulcer, amputation and mortality outcomes were recorded and compared with those without foot complications (Cohort 2) by multivariate logistic regression., Results: Data for 260 individuals of diabetes with CN and 520 individuals without CN were analysed. Mean age at presentation with CN was 55.8 ± 9.1 years, and duration of diabetes was 12.9 ± 7.8 years. 39.8% individuals with CN had foot ulcer, and 15.3% had amputation. People with CN were younger (55 ± 9.1 vs. 59.9 ± 8.1 years, p < 0.001) and had higher prevalence of microvascular complications. A total of 39 (15%) individuals with CN and 50 (9.8%) (p = 0.03) individuals without CN died during median follow-up of 40(24-51) months. People with CN had 2.7 times (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.4-5.2, p = 0.003) increased mortality risk when matched for potential confounders. Prevalent CAD and low eGFR predicted higher mortality in people with CN., Conclusions: People with Charcot neuroarthropathy have almost three times increased risk of mortality despite being younger at presentation.

Postreconstructive outcomes were compared in diabetic patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) who had peripheral arterial disease (PAD) diagnosed with angiography versus patients who were diagnosed clinically. A retrospective review was performed of patients with diabetic CN requiring reconstruction secondary to ulceration and/or acute infection. Of the 284 patients in the CN osseous reconstruction cohort, after accounting for exclusion criteria, 59 (20.8%) patients with PAD were included in the analyses. Forty (67.8%) of these 59 patients were diagnosed with PAD clinically and 19 (32.2%) were diagnosed with the use of angiography. Bivariate analysis was used to compare outcomes between those diagnosed with PAD via angiography versus those diagnosed clinically for the following postreconstruction outcomes: wound healing, delayed healing, surgical site infection, pin tract infection, osteomyelitis, dehiscence, transfer ulcer, new site of Charcot collapse, contralateral Charcot event, nonunion, major lower extremity amputation, and return to ambulation. Bivariate analysis found return to ambulation postreconstruction (p = .0054) to be the only statistically significant factor. There was a trend toward significance for major lower extremity amputation, with higher rates of amputation in the clinically diagnosed PAD arm. Return to ambulation indicates improved functional outcomes. The main goal of limb salvage should be focused on improving the patient's functional performance. With significantly faster rates of return to ambulation and a trend toward decreased rates of major amputation, angiography was found to be a better assessor of PAD than clinical evaluations., (Copyright © 2019 the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Currently, there is no consensus regarding the medical treatment of chronic Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) of foot, except for effective off-loading. Because tarsal bones are predominantly trabecular, teriparatide may improve the macroarchitecture of foot bones in chronic CN., Methods: People with diabetes and chronic CN were randomized to receive either 20 μg teriparatide or placebo subcutaneous daily for 12 months. Thirty-eight patients were screened and data were analyzed for 20. The maximum standardized uptake (SUV max ) value of 18 F-FDG PET/CT the region of interest, bone turnover markers and foot bone mineral density BMD were determined. The primary outcome measure was change in SUV max g/ml., Results: Mid-foot was the most common region involved. After 12 months, SUV max increased from 30.6 ± 14.7 to 37.7 ± 18.0 (P = 0.044) in the teriparatide group, but decreased from 27.6 ± 12.2 to 22.9 ± 10.4 with placebo (P = 0.148). The estimated treatment difference (ETD) was 11.9 ± 4.3 (95% CI 2.9, 20.8; P = 0.012). Similarly, P1NP increased with teriparatide (19.8 ± 5.5; P = 0.006) but decreased with placebo (-5.1 ± 3.8 ng/mL; P = 0.219); ETD was 24.8 ± 6.6 (95% CI 10.8, 38.8; P < 0.001) and CTX increased in both the teriparatide and placebo groups. Foot BMD increased by 0.06 ± 0.04 g/cm 2 (P = 0.192) with teriparatide, but decreased by -0.06 ± 0.08 g/cm 2 with placebo (P = 0.488; intergroup comparison, P = 0.096)., Conclusion: Teriparatide increases foot bone remodeling by an osteoanabolic action in people with CN., (© 2019 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Chronic deformity of the foot can lead to ulceration, infection, and amputation. Midfoot wedge osteotomy for deformity correction has been described in the literature; however, most reports are case review or small series. Wedge osteotomy can be performed from a medial or plantar approach, but there are limited data on outcomes regarding these relatively uncommon procedures. This study aims to review a population of patients with a rocker bottom foot deformity that underwent a midfoot wedge resection performed from the plantar surface for deformity correction, wound healing, and limb salvage. A review of medical records from a single foot and ankle surgeon was undertaken. Patients who had a midfoot wedge performed from the plantar surface to address rocker bottom deformity resulting from Charcot neuroarthropathy or severe flatfoot were included. Thirty patients met inclusion criteria. The outcome measures evaluated were minor and major complications, wound healing, and functional limb status. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate factors that influenced outcomes. At time of final follow up, 17 of 20 (85%) preoperative wounds had healed. Mean preoperative talo-first metatarsal angle was -25° and improved to -5° postoperatively. An 87% limb salvage rate (26/30) was demonstrated. Body mass index was the only statistically significant factor that influenced functional limb status. Maintaining a functional limb can have profound effects on a patient's quality of life. Generally, patients with this severe rocker bottom foot deformity have multiple comorbidities and are at an increased risk of major amputation and early death. The current study has shown that patients with a rocker bottom foot deformity can benefit from midfoot wedge resection from a plantar approach to achieve a plantigrade foot., (Copyright © 2019 the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The total contact cast has been recognized as the "gold standard" for treatment of Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy (CN). However, removable cast walkers (RCWs) became an alternative option especially after resolution of the acute stage. RCWs with an elevated sole construction often induce leg length discrepancy (LLD) that could significantly affects plantar pressure (PP) distribution in diabetic patients with neuropathy., Aim: To study the additional effect of walking speed on PP abnormalities induced by LLD., Method: The study included 16 patients with diabetes (59±8.8years; 8 men and 8 women), with unilateral CN offloaded by RCW. In-shoe PP distribution was measured using F-scan (Tekscan Inc.), whilst patients walked at their normal speed (53±4 steps/min), versus short slow steps (24±3/min) under the two walking conditions: (1) neglected LLD, and (2) corrected LLD., Results: The greatest reduction in PP was seen during reduction of walking speed, with corrected LLD, followed by corrected LLD with normal walking speed, followed by neglected LLD with slowing of walking speed. The highest PP was found when the patient remain on their normal walking speed and LLD was neglected., Conclusion: The contralateral foot of CN offloaded with RCW, is subjected to high pressure loads beneath the hallux, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th metatarsal heads. As such, care should be taken not only to avoid minor LLD, but to also advise the patient to practice short slow steps while walking, so that pressure overload on contralateral limb and its possible contribution to the development of bilateral Charcot, could be minimized., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Aims: Stage 0 Acute Charcot's Neuroarthropathy (ACN)in Type 2 Diabetes patients is a challenging diagnosis with subtle clinical features and normal appearing plain radiographs of the affected foot. Delay in diagnosis can lead to progression of disease and irreversible deformities. There is a paucity of data on Stage 0 ACN from India. The aim of this study was to assess clinical and radiological characteristics and treatment outcomes in Indian Type 2 Diabetes patients with Stage 0 ACN., Materials and Methods: A comparative, case-control study was carried out amongst patients attending the Integrated Diabetes Foot Clinic at a tertiary care South Indian hospital. During the 3-year study period, a total of 1811 patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus were screened. Of these, n = 10 patients with stage 0 ACN Charcot's arthropathy were identified based on clinical features and MRI imaging of the foot for confirmation of diagnosis. These were compared with an age and duration of diabetes-matched group of n = 50 patients without ACN as controls., Results: Our study identified 10 patients (0.5%) with Stage 0 Acute charcot neuroarthropathy (ACN) in the study population. Those with ACN had higher BMI, poorer glycaemic control and greater degree of peripheral neuropathy (p < 0.05). Clinically relative lack of pain and infrared thermometric temperature difference >2 °C in the affected foot were the most significant findings, while MRI foot was useful in early detection of active and severe stage 0 disease. Total contact cast was the preferred initial offloading modality, with delay in initiating complete immobilization leading to worse outcomes., Conclusions: This is the first study to highlight the characteristic features of Stage 0 ACN in Indian Type 2 Diabetes patients. Thorough clinical evaluation, infrared thermometry and radiological findigs on MRI foot leads to early disease detection. Complete offloading, preferably with total contact casts can prevent disease progression and chronic deformities., (Copyright © 2019 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Charcot arthropathy is one of the disabling diabetes complications. There are enigmatic areas concerning its underlying pathophysiology and risk predictors. Osteoporosis and local osteopenia have been postulated to have a role in Charcot arthropathy development, but it is still controversial., Background: The study aims to compare bone mineral density among type 2 diabetics with and without Charcot arthropathy., Methods: Two groups with type 2 diabetes participated in this study; Group I [30] patients with Charcot arthropathy while Group II [30] patients without charcot arthropathy. All patients underwent full clinical examination and complete history taking with special emphasis on foot problems. Laboratory investigations were done that included fasting blood sugar, postprandial blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum calcium, serum phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase. All patients underwent MRI for both feet and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan of the lumbar spine and femur. The demographic data, clinical data, the presence or absence of comorbidities and bone mineral density were compared for both groups., Result: Bone mineral density was significantly lower in Group I than Group II with median lumber T score (-0.15, 1.99 p <0.001), median Femur T score (0.050, 2.400, p <0.001). Group I showed higher propensity for hypertension, neuropathy, micro-albuminuria with peripheral arterial disease (23.33 %) compared to Group II (p <0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female gender and low femur bone mineral density can be risk predictors of the condition., Conclusion: Bone mineral density is lower in patients with Charcot arthropathy with female gender and Femur T score as risk predictors. Peripheral arterial disease shows greater incidence in Charcot patients than was previously reported., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Aims: Charcot foot is a rare but disabling complication to diabetic neuropathy, and can cause permanent, limb-threatening deformities. The aim of this study was to investigate a population of patients a Charcot foot on a case-by-case basis, in order to assess the consequences of an acute Charcot foot and its complications., Methods: The study was conducted a retrospective study of patients admitted to the Copenhagen Wound Healing Center between 1996 and 2015 with the diagnosis of Charcot foot (DM14.6) and diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2 (DE10.X and DE11.X). Physical and electronic records were used, and compared to data from the Danish Diabetes Registry., Results: In total 392 patients were identified of which 173 were included. There were 26% with type 1 diabetes (initial HbA1c 81.7 ± 21.4 mmol/mol) and 74% with type 2 diabetes (initial HbA1c 66.5 ± 20.3 mmol/mol). Primary off-loading was with a removable walker in 95% of the cases (average off-loading time 8.3 months). The 5-year mortality was 14% with a mean survival time of 12.7 years. There was an association between lack of compliance and occurrence of foot complications, as well as between having a Charcot foot and leaving the workforce., Conclusion: More patients had type 1 diabetes compared to the background population, and they had a higher HbA1c than the general population of diabetes patients. A total of 67% developed complications such as ulcers, while patients non-compliant to treatment did significantly worse than those being compliant. The 5-year mortality was low, 14%, and comparable to diabetes patients without Charcot foot., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the clinical characteristics of patients with Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) in Spain and to identify predictors for CN-related complications., Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at five tertiary hospitals with diabetic foot care units in Spain. Data were collected from 83 patients, including demographic profiles, foot factors, diabetes characteristics, and presence of microvascular and macrovascular comorbidity, and a podiatric examination was also performed. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine significant predictors of the predefined clinical events., Results: Signs of diabetic neuropathy were found in almost all patients (98.9%) at the initial assessment, approximately half of them had diabetic retinopathy or nephropathy (61.5% and 51.8%, respectively), and peripheral artery disease was uncommon (8.6%). Thirty-eight patients (47.5%) experienced one or more relevant clinical events: 22 (27.5%) a new foot ulcer; 7 (8.7%) a major amputation; 20 (25%) were admitted to hospital; and 4 (5%) died. Only the presence of diabetic nephropathy was independently associated to development of any of the complications studied (p = 0.009; odds ratio = 3.37; 95% CI: 1.12-10.1)., Conclusions: Almost half the patients with CN attending specialised foot care units in tertiary hospitals experienced short-term CN-associated complications, and the risk was 3 times higher in those with a history of diabetic nephropathy., (Copyright © 2018 SEEN y SED. All rights reserved.)

Charcot spine, or neuropathic spinal arthropathy, involves the progressive destruction of the spinal joint due to the lack of normal protective sensations and proprioception. A rare cause of Charcot spine is congenital insensitivity to pain, which is an absent or abnormal response to painful stimuli. There are few case reports describing this condition, and long-term follow-up data are limited. The presentation and treatment of two patients with Charcot spine secondary to congenital insensitivity to pain are described. Both cases were characterized by lumbar involvement and were treated with circumferential decompression and an extended lumbo-pelvic fusion construct. The cases described here demonstrate stable neurological status at 1.5 and 5 years follow-up. Patient characteristics, pre- and post-operative imaging, operative approach, and outcomes are described. The literature regarding this rare condition is also reviewed, with an emphasis on operative management and outcomes. Surgical management is traditionally complicated by a high rate of hardware failure and adjacent segment degeneration. The current review highlights the importance of prompt and aggressive management following diagnosis of Charcot spine, as well as extended follow-up.

Background: Corrective fusion for the unstable deformed hind foot and mid foot in Charcot Neuroarthropathy (CN) is quite challenging and is best done in tertiary centres under the supervision of multidisciplinary teams., Methods: We present a follow up to our initial report with a series of 42 hind foot corrections in 40 patients from a tertiary level teaching hospital in the United Kingdom. The mean patient age was 59 (33-82). 17 patients had type1diabetes mellitus, 23 had type 2. 23 feet in 22 patients had chronic ulceration despite offloading. 17 patients were ASA 2 and 23 were ASA grade 3. All patients had hind foot nail fusion performed through a standard technique by the senior author and managed perioperatively by the multidisciplinary team., Results: At a mean follow up of 42 months (12-99) we achieved 100% limb salvage initially and a 97% fusion rate. One patient with persisting non-union of ankle and subtalar joint with difficulty in bracing has been offered below-knee amputation. We achieved deformity correction in 100% and ulcer healing in 83%. 83% patients are able to mobilize and manage independent activities of daily living. There were 11 patients with one or more complications including metal work failure, infection and ulcer reactivation. There have been nine repeat procedures including one revision fixation and one vascular procedure., Conclusion: Single stage corrective fusion for hind foot deformity in CN is an effective procedure when delivered by a skilled multidisciplinary team., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The diagnosis of osteomyelitis (OM) is a challenging but critical pathology to uncover in patients with concomitant Charcot neuro-osteoarthropathy (CN). The reference standard to diagnose OM is bone biopsy for histopathologic and microbiologic examination. The presence of CN, however, can have a negative effect on the accuracy of either method to identify OM. The aim of the present study was to examine the concordance between bone pathology and bone cultures in the presence of CN in the diagnosis of OM. A total of 286 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and CN were identified retrospectively, with 48 patients identified with OM. OM was confirmed by radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein, positive probe-to-bone test results, and intraoperative inspection. Seventy matched pairs of bone pathology and cultures with complete data were compared and analyzed. Statistical analysis included concordance, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, and kappa coefficient. Concordance between bone pathology and bone culture was 41.4%, with agreement in 29 of 70 paired specimens. The diagnostic test accuracy of histopathologic examination to diagnose OM in CN bone in our study was 51.4%. The diagnostic test accuracy of microbiologic examination to diagnose OM in CN bone was 50%. The positive predictive value was 72.2%. The negative predictive value was 44.1%. The sensitivity was 57.8%. The specificity was 60.0%. The kappa coefficient was 0.165. The reference standard method of histopathologic and microbiologic examination of bone specimens has little concordance and can lead to inaccurate or inconclusive information. The low sensitivity and specificity demonstrated in the present study does not support the use of the current reference standard method of bone biopsy for histologic and microbiologic diagnosis of OM when CN is present. Thus, a diagnosis of OM in patients with CN should only be considered in the presence of strong clinical, laboratory, and imaging correlates., (Copyright © 2018 The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neuropathic (Charcot) arthropathy of the hip is rare but can lead to joint destruction, bone loss, and dysfunction. While total hip arthroplasty (THA) may be considered a treatment option, only very limited data in the form of case reports are available on the results of THA. The goal of this study was to analyze the outcomes of primary THA for Charcot arthropathy with emphasis on implant survivorship, complications, and clinical outcomes., Methods: Eleven patients undergoing 12 primary THAs for Charcot arthropathy from 2007 to 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients had a severe underlying neuropathy and clear radiographic evidence of Charcot arthropathy. Mean age was 54 years with 4 patients being female. Mean follow-up was 5 years., Results: Survivorship free of any revision was 75% at both 2 and 5 years. Three THAs (3/12) were revised: 2 for recurrent instability and 1 for femoral component loosening. Survivorship free of any reoperation was 67% at both 2 and 5 years. One additional THA underwent open reduction and internal fixation of a Vancouver B 1 periprosthetic fracture. The overall complication rate (including revisions and reoperations) was high at 58% with 3 recurrent dislocations, 2 periprosthetic fractures, 1 femoral component loosening, and 1 delayed wound healing. Harris Hip Scores improved from a mean of 43 preoperatively to 81 postoperatively (P < .001)., Conclusion: In this study, the largest to date, we found that patients undergoing primary THA for Charcot arthropathy have a significant improvement in clinical outcomes but that there was a high risk of early complications and revisions, mostly related to recurrent instability. Specific precautions to avoid early complications, namely utilization of components that provide robust fixation and strategies that provide enhanced hip stability, should be considered., Level of Evidence: Level IV., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Study Design: Cadaveric feasibility study and case report., Objective: To determine if it is feasible to rotate pedicled vascularized bone graft (VBG) from L1 to S1 via a posterior approach., Summary of Background Data: VBG has been used to successfully augment fusion rates in various skeletal pathologies. Pedicled VBG has numerous advantages over free-transfer VBG, including the maintenance of a robust vascular supply to the graft without the need for vascular anastomoses. Pedicled VBG options have not been well described for posterior lumbosacral fusion., Methods: A multidisciplinary team of plastic surgeons and neurosurgeons hypothesized that it is feasible to rotate pedicled VBG from L1 to S1 via a posterior approach. In six cadavers, two VBG donor sites were evaluated: posterior element (PE-VBG) and iliac crest (IC-VBG). A single case report of a patient with lumbar Charcot joint treated with IC-VBG is also presented., Results: For the PE-VBG, the laminae and spinous processes were mobilized en bloc via Gill laminectomy on a unilateral sacrospinalis pedicle. Mean ± standard deviation (SD) length × width graft dimensions were 2.8±0.48 cm × 2.2±0.81 cm. The inter-transverse process (inter-TP) distance was less than the corresponding lamina length at all levels. For the IC-VBG, iliac crest was mobilized on a quadratus lumborum pedicle. Mean±SD length × width × thickness graft dimensions were 7.7±1.28 cm × 2.2±0.69 cm × 1.5±0.79 cm. The IC-VBGs reached from L1 (T12-S1) to S1 (S1-S3), and all IC-VBGs were able to cover three levels., Conclusions: This feasibility cadaveric study and the case report are the first demonstrations that pedicled VBGs can be successfully applied to posterior lumbosacral spinal arthrodesis. Patients at high risk for nonunion may benefit from these strategies. Further clinical experience with these techniques is warranted., Level of Evidence: Level IV., (Copyright © 2018 Scoliosis Research Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Neuroarthropathy or Charcot disease is a destructive joint pathology. Upper limb involvement is unusual and often due to syringomyelia. We reported a patient with spontaneous posterior right shoulder dislocation. Thereafter, she presented a quick joint destruction evoking a Charcot shoulder disease after excluding infectious and rheumatologic diseases. Explorations of this Charcot disease lead to the discovery and treatment of syringomyelia. A conservative management of her shoulder neuro-arthropathy has been proposed to the patient. Shoulder involvement in Charcot disease is unusual: only 5% of cases. 18 cases have been reported in English literature. Two theories try to explain Charcot disease: neuro-vascular and neuro-traumatic. There is no efficient treatment for Charcot shoulder disease but it can be prevented by surgical treatment of syringomyelia. Charcot shoulder is a rare and morbid disease for which conservative treatment is recommended because of disappointing results of arthroplasty and arthrodesis.

Background: We evaluated treatment of osteomyelitis in the foot in the presence of Charcot neuroarthropathy, a devastating condition with progressive degeneration and joint destruction. We hypothesized that there was a difference in (1) amputation rate, (2) amputation level, (3) duration of antibiotic therapy, and (4) duration of immobilization for treatment of osteomyelitis within versus outside the Charcot zone., Methods: Forty patients (43 ft) diagnosed with Charcot neuroarthropathy and osteomyelitis of the same foot were retrospectively analyzed. Some patients were successfully treated for osteomyelitis at different sites on the same foot at different times, thus 60 cases of osteomyelitis were identified in 40 treated patients. Cases were divided according to osteomyelitis localization: Group 1 had osteomyelitis outside the active Charcot region; Group 2 had osteomyelitis within the active Charcot region., Results: Male patients (n = 29; mean age 58.2, range 40.1 to 77.5 years) were younger than female patients (n = 11; mean age 70.4, range 51.4 to 87.5, p = 0.02 years). Amputation rate was 52% overall (26/40 patients; 26/43 ft): 63% of 30 Group 1 cases and 40% of 30 Group 2 cases (p = 0.09). Amputation level (p = 0.009), duration of antibiotic treatment (p = 0.045) and duration of immobilization (p = 0.01) differed significantly between the groups., Conclusions: Osteomyelitis within the Charcot region is associated with a higher level of amputation and longer durations of antibiotic therapy and immobilization. Osteomyelitis outside and within the Charcot affected region should be considered separately. If osteomyelitis occurs outside the active Charcot region, primary amputation may be preferred to internal resection., Level of Evidence: Retrospective cohort chart review study.

Charcot fracture pattern (FP) and Charcot dislocation pattern (DP) are 2 distinct collapse patterns identified in Charcot neuroarthropathy of the foot and ankle. These patterns are believed to demonstrate relative differences in central bone mineral density (BMD), which has been theoretically extrapolated to describe local BMD. To assess variation in local bone composition of FP and DP patients, 10 patients, 5 DP and 5 FP were recruited. The patient's age, body mass index (BMI), radiographs, central BMD, local BMD, sRANKL (soluble receptor activator nuclear factor kappa-beta ligand), sRAGE (soluble receptors of advanced glycated end-products), and osteocalcin were measured to determined bone metabolic status and density. Central BMD was determined using DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scans of the hip. peripheral BMD was determined using scans at the level of the ankle mortise and Chopart's joint, depending on the location of collapse. These scans were then compared with controls. Central and peripheral DEXA scans were significantly reduced in the FP ( P = .002 and P < .0001) when compared with healthy controls. Additionally, FP patients demonstrated statistically significant elevations in sRANKL ( P = .05) and sRAGE ( P = .002) when compared with DP. No significant difference was seen in osteocalcin ( P = 0.22); however, elevated values compared with normal reference ranges suggest increase bone production. These elevations combined with an osteoporotic profile may indicate difficulty of FP patients in repairing micro fracture. Results from this study emphasize the increased risk of nonunion during FP reconstruction, and highlight the variation in bone composition in these 2 Charcot subtypes., Levels of Evidence: Level III.