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Background: The dorsalis pedis artery (DPA) usually branches into the arcuate artery (AA) from its lateral side which in turn crosses the bases of the lateral four metatarsals. The DPA then passes into the first interosseous space, where it divides into the first metatarsal artery and the deep plantar artery. In this study, we aimed to determine the extent of variation in the DPA and the distance between the AA and the tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint with the aim of reducing the risk of vascular complications arising from dorsal midfoot surgery. Methods: In 29 fresh cadaveric feet, we examined the course of the DPA and the distance between the AA and the TMT joint on computed tomography images with barium sulfate contrast. Results: The DPA was observed to have a standard course in 11 of the 29 cases (37.9%) but did not give rise to the AA and lateral tarsal artery or branches of the plantar arterial arch supplied the second to fourth metatarsal spaces in 10 of 29 cases (34.5%). The mean closest distance from the TMT joint to the AA at the second, third, and fourth metatarsal level in the sagittal plane was 11.4 mm, 14.6 mm, and 17.1 mm, respectively. Conclusions: We found substantial variation in the arterial anatomy of the DPA system across the dorsal midfoot.

INTRODUCTION: Legs are sometimes infected and swollen by cat bite or scratch. However, there is no report of synovitis with an enlarged talar posterior process in the posterior ankle caused by a cat bite or scratch which was treated by removal of the enlarged process and synovectomy with release of the flexor hallucis longus tendon via posterior ankle arthroscopy. PRESENTATION OF CASE: The patient was a 58-year-old woman who had started keeping a cat 7 months earlier. She subsequently sustained cat bite and scratch wounds to her lower legs, which gradually became increasingly swollen. On presentation, there was left lower leg swelling, particularly on the posterior aspect of the ankle. Imaging revealed bone marrow edema in the enlarged posterior talar process and inflammation of the adjacent soft tissue. We excised the enlarged posterior talar process, performed synovectomy, and released the flexor hallucis longus tendon using a posterior arthroscopic technique via standard posterolateral and posteromedial portals. Microbial culture was negative. DISCUSSION: The patient returned to daily activities approximately 3 weeks after arthroscopic debridement. There was no recurrence at the 1-year follow-up visit. To our knowledge. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of posterior ankle synovitis with an enlarged posterior talar process caused by a cat bite or scratch which was treated successfully by posterior ankle arthroscopic debridement.

INTRODUCTION: Lateral premalleolar bursitis develops on the dorsolateral aspect of the foot anterior to the lateral malleolus, distinct from lateral malleolar bursitis located just around the lateral malleolus. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 71-year-old woman visited an orthopedic clinic about 40 years after an episode of ankle sprain and was diagnosed with lateral premalleolar bursitis and osteoarthritis of the left ankle. Stress radiography revealed left ankle anterolateral malleolar bursitis with varus and anterior instability. We opted for less invasive arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis over open resection to stop the communication of the bursitis with the ankle joint. The lateral premalleolar bursitis was located just over the anterolateral portal. The remaining cartilage in the talotibial joint was removed and the subchondral surface was exposed and curetted down to a bleeding surface by ankle arthroscopy. The talotibial joint was fixed with 3 6.0-mm cannulated cancellous screws. The foot and ankle were immobilized by cast for 4 weeks. Bony union was achieved about 8 weeks postoperatively. The patient could perform daily activities without pain and with no recurrence of the lateral premalleolar bursitis at the 1.5-year follow-up. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first report on arthroscopic arthrodesis for ankle osteoarthritis with recalcitrant lateral premalleolar bursitis caused by the check valve mechanism of chronic ankle instability after old ankle sprain. CONCLUSION: We report a case of arthroscopic arthrodesis for osteoarthritis of the ankle associated with lateral premalleolar bursitis caused by the check valve mechanism of chronic ankle instability after old ankle sprain.

Introduction: There are no reports on one-stage corrective tibial opening wedge osteotomy and arthrodesis for osteoarthritis of the ankle and tibial malalignment after distal tibial osteotomy. Presentation of case: The patient was a 70-year-old woman who presented with complaints of ankle pain and lower limb deformity after tibial osteotomy performed for ankle arthritis 17–18 years earlier. Clinical examination revealed marked swelling around the ankle joint and pain and tenderness at the joint line. Imaging showed tibial malalignment and severe osteoarthritic changes in the ankle. The patient had valgus deformity of 21° and recurvatum deformity of 4°. In two months, she admitted to Department of Orthopedics at Tokushima University Hospital in Japan and we performed one-stage corrective tibial opening wedge osteotomy and ankle arthrodesis with an anterolateral plate through a lateral longitudinal incision. After removal of the previous implants, the remaining articular cartilage and osteophytes were removed from the tibial and talar surfaces. After debridement of the talar trochlea and tibial plateau, the center of rotation and angular deformity of the tibia was cut transversely and a 1-cm bone graft obtained from the removed fibula was inserted into the osteotomy site, which decreased the tibial malalignment. An anterolateral locking plate was inserted over the anterior and lateral sides of the tibia, and the ankle was fused using 2 cannulated screws. Discussion: The patient wore an above-knee splint for 6 weeks to avoid weight-bearing followed by gradual weightbearing with a brace thereafter. Osseous fusion was achieved after about 3.5 months. Radiographs obtained at the 2-year follow-up visit showed complete union of the tibia and talus. Full correction of valgus and recurvatum deformity was achieved, and the patient was able to perform daily activities with almost no pain. Conclusion: We reported a rare case of ankle osteoarthritis and tibial malalignment that w

INTRODUCTION: Hemophilic arthropathy can affect multiple joints including ankle. However, only one report has been published regarding both arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis with hemophilic arthropathy. PRESENTATION OF CASE: The patient was a 23-year-old man with hemophilia A and a 3-year history of recurrent hemarthrosis in both ankles. We undertook surgery to treat arthropathy. His left ankle was treated first and the right ankle 6 months later. In both ankles, the cartilage was worn and eburnated. The remaining cartilage was removed and more dimples were created to fuse the tibia and talus. The ankle was fixed using 3 cannulated screws. Postoperatively, the patient wore an immobilization cast with no weight-bearing for 2 weeks. Thereafter, weight-bearing was allowed and the cast was removed 4 weeks after surgery. DISCUSSION: At the 1-year follow-up, bony union was satisfactory, functional outcome was acceptable, and pain relief was good. The Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot ankle-hindfoot scale score increased from 24 preoperatively to 87 postoperatively. CONCLUSION: We report successful treatment with arthroscopic arthrodesis in a case of hemophilic arthropathy in both ankles.

INTRODUCTION: There are some reports of tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) entrapment/impingement from bony factors, including exostosis and fragment, but there are no reports on TTS with traumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle that were treated with osteophyte excision for TTS and arthroscopic arthrodesis for osteoarthritis of the ankle. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 61-year-old woman with left trimalleolar fracture had undergone surgery 3 years earlier and was referred to our hospital for further investigation of persistent left ankle pain and numbness around the left medial malleolus and plantar aspect of the foot. Clinical examination demonstrated plantar hypesthesia and a positive Tinel’s sign at the tarsal tunnel. Imaging showed severe osteoarthritic change in the ankle and an osteophyte of the posteromedial distal tibia that appeared to be impinging on the tibial nerve. We performed arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis, which is less invasive than the open procedure, with removal of the osteophyte as the cause of TTS. Tarsal tunnel exploration revealed a large osteophyte pushing on the tibial nerve, and the osteophyte was removed. DISCUSSION: About 8 weeks after surgery, bony union was achieved. At the 2-year follow-up visit, the patient could perform daily activities with almost no pain or numbness. This case offers further insight into the management of TTS with traumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle. CONCLUSION: We report here successful treatment of a rare case of tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) accompanied with traumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle, treated with osteophyte excision for the TTS and arthroscopic for the osteoarthritis.

INTRODUCTION: Adult acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) caused by posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) can lead to the development of peritalar subluxation (PTS) and much more rarely to lateral subtalar dislocation. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 75-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with an approximately 15-year history of pain in her right foot without obvious trauma. The lateral shifting foot deformity had worsened in the previous 5 years. On presentation, she had tenderness over the talonavicular joint, and the skin overlying the talar head on the medial foot was taut. Imaging revealed lateral displacement of the calcaneus with simultaneous dislocation of the talonavicular and talocalcaneal joints. We diagnosed lateral subtalar dislocation including the talonavicular and talocalcaneal joints caused by PTTD, which we treated by reduction and fusion of the subtalar joint complex. The foot and ankle were immobilized with a cast for 6 weeks. DISCUSSION: At the 1-year follow-up visit, the patient reported no pain during daily activities, although flatfoot persisted. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of chronic lateral subtalar dislocation caused by PTTD that was treated by fusion of the talonavicular and talocalcaneal joints.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between soft tissue laxity and kinematics of the normal knee using a navigation system. Methods: Fifteen cadaveric knees from 11 fresh frozen whole-body specimens were included in this study. The navigation system automatically recorded the rotation angle of the tibia as the internal–external (IE) kinematics and the coronal alignment of the lower limb as the varus–valgus (VV) kinematics. These measurements were made with the joint in maximal extension, at 10° intervals from 0° to 120° of flexion, and at maximal flexion during passive knee motion. For evaluation of laxity, the examiner gently applied maximum manual IE and VV stress to the knee at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion. Results: The measurements showed almost perfect reliability. The mean correlation coefficient between the intraoperative tibial rotation angle and the intermediate angle of IE laxity was 0.82, while that between the coronal alignment of the lower limb and the intermediate angle of the VV laxity was 0.96. There was a statistically significant correlation between kinematics and laxity at all degrees of knee flexion. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the rotation angle of the tibia was correlated to the intermediate angle of IE laxity at 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of knee flexion and the coronal alignment of the lower limb also correlated to the intermediate angle of VV laxity. These findings provide important reference data on soft tissue laxity and kinematics of the normal knee.