Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics最新文献

Background: The incidence of primary total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is rising, with a corresponding increase in revision surgeries. Despite this, research on risk factors for revision TAA following primary TAA remains limited. Radiographic soft tissue thickness has been explored as a potential predictor for outcomes in hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasty, but its role in TAA has not been assessed. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of radiographic soft tissue thickness for identifying patients at risk of requiring revision surgery following primary TAA.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 323 patients who underwent primary TAA between 2003 and 2019. Radiographic measurements of soft tissue thickness were obtained from preoperative radiographs. Two novel radiographic measures of soft tissue thickness were developed and assessed (tibial tissue thickness and talus tissue thickness). Clinical variables including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, diabetes, smoking status, primary diagnosis, and implant type were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the predictive value of soft tissue thickness and BMI for revision TAA.

Results: The rate of revision surgery was 4.3% (14 of 323 patients). Patients requiring revision had significantly greater tibial tissue (3.54 vs 2.48 cm; P = .02) and talus tissue (2.79 vs 2.42 cm; P = .02) thickness compared with those not requiring revision. Both the tibial tissue thickness (odds ratio 1.16 [1.12-1.20]; P < .01) and the talus tissue thickness (odds ratio: 1.10 [1.05-1.15]; P < .01) measurements were significant predictors of revision TAA in multivariable logistic regression models. However, BMI was not a significant predictor of revision TAA. The two metrics demonstrated excellent interrater reliability.

Conclusion: Greater soft tissue thickness was a better predictor of revision TAA compared with BMI. These findings suggest that radiographic soft tissue thickness may be a valuable tool for assessing the risk of the need for revision TAA following primary TAA. Further research is needed to validate and explore the potential impact on clinical practice.

Level of evidence: Level III, comparative study.

Background: Overcompression of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis during open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fracture may affect multidirectional flexibility of the ankle bones.

Methods: Ten cadaveric lower limbs (78.3±13.0 years, 4 female, 6 male) underwent biomechanical testing in sagittal, coronal, and axial rotation with degrees of motion quantified. The intact force (100%) was the force needed to compress the syndesmosis just beyond the intact position, and overcompression was defined as 150% of the intact force. After intact testing, the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL), interosseus membrane (IOM), and posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL) were sectioned and testing was repeated. The IOM and AITFL were reconstructed in sequence and tested at 100% and 150% compression.

Results: Overcompression of the syndesmosis did not significantly reduce ROM of the ankle bones for any loading modality (P > .05). IOM+AITFL reconstruction restored distal tibiofibular axial rotation to the intact condition. Axial rotation motion was significantly lower with AITFL fixation compared with IOM fixation alone (P < .05). The proximal tibiofibular syndesmosis demonstrated significantly higher motion in axial rotation with all distal reconstruction conditions.

Conclusion: As assessed by direct visualization, overcompression of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis did not reduce ROM of the ankle bones. Distal tibiofibular axial rotation was significantly lower with IOM+AITFL fixation compared with IOM augmentation alone. Distal tibiofibular axial rotation did not differ significantly from the intact condition after combined IOM+AITFL fixation. Dynamic fixation of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis resulted in increased axial rotation at the proximal tibiofibular syndesmosis.

Clinical relevance: These biomechanical data suggest that inadvertent overcompression of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis when fixing ankle fractures does not restrict subsequent ankle bone ROM. The AITFL is an important stabilizer of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis in external rotation.

Level of evidence: controlled laboratory study.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the thickness changes of the heel fat pad and the plantar fascia associated with loading and unloading in healthy individuals and patients with heel pain and reveal the differences between them.

Methods: The study included adult male participants with (n = 9) and without (n = 26) heel pain. The participants placed their right foot on an evaluation apparatus with a polymethylpentene resin board (PMP), while their left foot was positioned on a weighing scale used to adjust the loading weight. The heel fat pad was differentiated into superficial Microchamber and deep Macrochamber layers. These layers and plantar fascia thickness were measured using an ultrasonographic imaging device at loading phase ranging from 0% to 100% of their body weight and unloading phase from 100% to 0%. Additionally, the study examined the thickness change ratios of the superficial and deep heel fat pad layers when the load increased from 0% (unload) to 100% (full load).

Results: In healthy individuals and patients with heel pain, no significant thickness changes were observed in the Microchamber layer of the heel fat pad or the plantar fascia during loading and unloading evaluations. However, significant thickness changes were observed in the Macrochamber layer of the heel fat pad, and the pattern of change differed between the loading and unloading phases. Additionally, patients with heel pain showed differences in the thickness change and thickness change ratios of the microchamber and macrochamber layers of the heel fat pad during both loading and unloading phases. The thickness of the plantar fascia did not show significant differences between both groups.

Conclusion: Compared with healthy individuals, in our relatively small study, patients with heel pain had greater deep fat pad compression in loading and less recovery after load removal. This finding suggests that these patients have different intrinsic fat pad function and related morphology than those without heel pain.

Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

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Background: Open access (OA) publications are increasingly common in orthopaedic literature. However, whether OA publications are associated with increased readership or citations among total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) literature is unclear. We hypothesize that compared with non-OA status, OA status is associated with increased social media dissemination, and readership, but not with citation count. This study aimed to analyze social media attention, citations, readership, and cost of TAA OA and non-OA publications.

Methods: Using a PubMed query search, there were 368 publications from 81 journals, with 25% (91/368) being OA articles and 75% (277/368) non-OA articles from 2016 to 2023. We analyzed the Altmetric Attention Score (AAS), Mendeley readership score, and citations between OA vs non-OA articles. Citations and cost of OA articles were determined using an altered timeline and publisher's website, respectively. Subgroup analysis was performed among articles published in the top 5 TAA journals (Tables 2 and 3). Negative binomial regression was used while adjusting for days since publication. Significance was considered at P <.05.

Results: OA publication was associated with a larger mean AAS score (8.7 ± 37.0 vs 4.8 ± 26.3), Mendeley readership (42.4 ± 41.6 vs 34.9 ± 25.7), and Twitter mentions (4.6 ± 7.4 vs 3.3 ± 8.1), but not citations (19.7 ± 24.8 vs 20.3 ± 23.5) (Table 1).

Conclusion: TAA OA publications and top 5 journals were associated with significantly increased social media attention but not Mendeley readership or citation counts.

Background: Tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis (TCA) can be achieved by internal fixation (intramedullary nail or plate), external fixation, or a combination. Evidence for the optimal approach is limited. This systematic review examines the outcomes of these different approaches to guide surgical management.

Methods: A MEDLINE and Oxford SOLO search was performed using "tibiocalcaneal," "ankle," "fusion OR arthrodesis." The primary outcome was union. Secondary outcomes included rates of postoperative complications, weightbearing status, rates of revision surgery, and PROMs. We included any studies with follow-up greater than 6 months that contained our primary outcome and at least 1 secondary outcome.

Results: The initial search yielded 164 articles, of which 9 studies totaling 53 cases met the criteria. The majority of articles were excluded because they were nonsurgical studies, or were not about isolated TCA but were for tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis, more complex reconstructions (eg, Charcot), case reports, and/or did not include the predetermined outcome measures.TCA union rate was 86.2% following external fixation, 82.4% for intramedullary nail fixation, and 83.3% for plate fixation. One patient underwent a hybrid of external and internal fixation, and the outcome was nonunion. The rate of complications following TCA was 69.8%.

Conclusion: There is limited evidence on the best operative approach for isolated tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis. Both external and internal fixation methods had comparable union rates. External fixation had frequent complications and a more challenging postoperative protocol. Novel techniques such as 3D-printed cages and talus replacement may become a promising alternative but require further investigation.