Faculty Bibliography

Dancing en pointe requires the ballerina to stand on her toes, which are protected only by the pointe shoe toe box. This protection diminishes when the toe box loses its structural integrity. The objectives of this study were 1) to quantify the comparative structural static and fatigue properties of the pointe shoe toe box, and 2) to evaluate the preferred shoe characteristics as determined by a survey of local dancers. Five different pointe shoes (Capezio, Freed, Gaynor Minden, Leo's, and Grishko) were evaluated to quantify the static stiffness, static strength, and fatigue properties (cycles to failure) of the shoes. Under axial loading conditions, the Leo's shoe demonstrated the highest stiffness level, and the Freed shoe exhibited the least strength. Under vertical loading conditions, the Leo's and Freed shoes demonstrated the highest stiffness levels, and the Gaynor Minden and Freed shoes exhibited the highest strength. Fatigue testing highlighted the greatest differences among the five shoes, with the Gaynor Minden demonstrating the highest fatigue life. Dancers rated the top five shoe characteristics, in order of importance, as fit, comfort, box/platform shape, vamp shape, and durability and indicated that the "best" shoe is one that "feels right" and permits artistic maneuvers, not necessarily the strongest or most durable shoe.

In the first of this two-part cadaver investigation, we inserted a specially designed, pointed device (simulating a 12-mm nail) in an antegrade fashion in each of eight fresh-frozen cadaver tibial specimens; the tibial isthmus was used as a centralizing guide. The exit point was noted, and the specimen was dissected to identify the structures at risk. In all specimens, we found that the device placed the lateral plantar artery and nerve at risk (average minimal distance from device to structure, 0 mm) and that damage to the flexor hallucis brevis and plantar fascia occurred. In addition, in six of the eight specimens, the device skewered or skived the flexor hallucis longus tendon. We also noted that in each specimen the exit point was the sustentaculum tali, not the body of the calcaneus as expected. Thus, there was less calcaneal bone-to-rod interface for stability, and distal locking would be less effective in the lateral-to-medial direction because of the lack of medial bone stock. On the basis of the results of the first portion of the study, we investigated an alternative approach to retrograde tibial nailing to reduce the risk of injury to the plantar and medial structures of the foot. We performed a medial malleolar resection, medially displaced the talus, inserted the device in an antegrade fashion, and dissected the specimens to analyze the structures at risk. We found that malleolar resection and medial translation of the distal extremity an average of 9.3 mm (range, 7-11 mm) increased the average minimal distance from the tip of the device to the neurovascular bundle to 18.4 mm (range, 14-32 mm). We also found that there was no damage to the flexor hallucis longus and that all eight specimens demonstrated bony contact completely surrounding the nail device within the tuberosity portion of the calcaneus (assessed by postoperative radiographs). The results of this study suggest that malleolar resection and medial translation of the distal extremity before retrograde nailing of the tibia may reduce the risk of vital structure injury and enhance the rigidity of the fixation.

Reported sites for retrieval of cancellous bone for grafts include the iliac crest, greater trochanter, proximal tibia, and distal tibia. A new lateral technique for retrieval of cancellous bone from the calcaneus is evaluated through anatomic review, quantitative analysis, and retrospective clinical assessment. Of 22 patients managed with this technique over a 2-year period, 17 returned for an evaluation by questionnaire, physical examination, and radiographic follow-up at an average of 7 months after surgery (range, 4-16 months). Complaints/complications were minor: three had minor incisional symptoms, five had medial heel pain (3 caused by plantar fasciitis), and one had unchanged preoperative heel pain secondary to clubfoot deformity. Compared with more extensive bone-grafting procedures, this procedure offers the advantages of bone harvested under local anesthesia using a readily accessible ipsilateral extremity and producing minor complications.

Proximal crescentic metatarsal osteotomy is a clinically successful technique for correcting metatarsus primus varus in hallux valgus surgery. However, there have been instances of dorsal elevation of the metatarsal head with this technique. Mechanical testing on 10 matched pairs of cadaver feet was performed to evaluate a new technique combining a biplanar closing wedge osteotomy and plantar plate fixation versus crescentic metatarsal osteotomy. The specimens were tested in cantilever-bending mode on an MTS Mini Bionix test frame. The mean load-to-failure values were 127.2 +/- 81.9 N (SD) for biplanar osteotomy with plate fixation and 44.9 +/- 43.3 N for crescentic osteotomy (P = 0.019); the mean stiffness values at the initial portion of the load-deflection curve were 83.11 +/- 73.76 N/mm and 31.95 +/- 43.00 N/mm, respectively (P = 0.012). The biplanar wedge osteotomy with plantar plate fixation demonstrated significantly stronger fixation than the crescentic osteotomy, with higher mean load-to-failure and stiffness values. This newly described technique may provide an acceptable alternative for patients at risk for dorsal elevation of the metatarsal, particularly those who are noncompliant or have osteopenia. Clinical study will determine whether this new technique offers satisfactory long-term results.

The goal of this study was to characterize Charcot neuroarthropathy of the foot and ankle by specific sites of involvement (ankle, hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot), modes of presentation, methods of management, and outcome. A summary of treatment and results for 50 ankles, 22 hindfeet, 131 midfeet, and 18 forefeet is presented. Nondisplaced neuropathic ankle fractures typically healed uneventfully with casting and bracing. For displaced ankle fractures, closed reduction and casting generally resulted in loss of reduction and progressive deterioration; better results were obtained with open reduction and internal fixation, using supplemental Kirschner wires and screws. Ankles with Charcot neuroarthropathy and preexisting arthritis typically required arthrodesis. Of the ankles with neuropathic avascular talar necrosis, approximately 1/3 did well with nonoperative intervention and 2/3 required surgery. Chronic, unstable, malaligned Charcot ankles often required arthrodesis. Neuropathic calcaneal fractures were managed successfully nonoperatively. For feet with transverse tarsal joint involvement (Schon Type IV), management was more complex. Nonoperative treatment was successful for less than 1/2. Two thirds of the feet with midtarsus involvement (Schon Types I, II, and III) were managed successfully nonoperatively; 1/3 required surgery for recurrent ulceration, instability, or osteomyelitis. Half of the feet with forefoot neuroarthropathy required surgery for malalignment, ulceration, and/or difficulty with shoewear or braces. This review has established patterns of Charcot involvement of the foot and ankle with corresponding methods of treatment and subsequent responses. From this extensive clinical experience with 221 neuropathic fractures or Charcot joints, recommendations were derived to assist in selecting appropriate management options.

Arthritis of the hallux metatarsophalangeal joint is a common disorder that affects shoewear, ambulation, and other activities of daily living. Etiologies include degenerative arthritis (hallux rigidus), crystal induced arthropathy (gout, pseudogout), rheumatoid arthritis, the seronegative spondyloathropathies, posttraumatic degeneration, and advanced hallux valgus. Accurate diagnosis and selection of the appropriate intervention depends on recognition of pertinent clinical and radiographic features. This study presents a synopsis of the senior author's (LCS) experience with 439 surgically treated patients with hallux metatarsophalangeal arthritis, focusing on origin and treatment.

Thromboembolic disease presents a potentially fatal complication to patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. Although the incidence after hip and knee surgery has been studied and documented, its incidence after surgery of the foot and ankle is unknown. For this reason, a prospective multicenter study was undertaken to identify patients with clinically evident thromboembolic disease to evaluate potential risk factors. Two thousand seven hundred thirty-three patients were evaluated for preoperative risk factors and postoperative thromboembolic events. There were six clinically significant thromboembolic events, including four nonfatal pulmonary emboli, after foot and ankle surgery. The incidence of deep vein thrombosis was six of 2733 (0.22%) and that of nonfatal pulmonary emboli was four of 2733 (0.15%). Factors found to correlate with an increased incidence of deep vein thrombosis were nonweightbearing status and immobilization after surgery. On the basis of these results, routine prophylaxis for thromboembolic disease after foot and ankle surgery probably is not warranted.

We present a case report and literature review of distal intrasubstance rupture of the posterior tibial tendon with progressive pes planovalgus secondary to tendon incompetence. Three months after a severe ankle sprain, a 25-year-old basketball player presented with ankle weakness and pain. Treatment by advancement of the posterior tibial tendon to the navicular and medial displacement osteotomy of the calcaneal tuberosity restored alignment, strength, and full function.

We retrospectively reviewed the treatment of a selected group of 23 patients with pseudoarthrosis after ankle arthrodesis who underwent revision arthrodesis at an average of 1.7 years (range, 0.3-17.0 years) after the initial, unsuccessful procedure. Fourteen patients underwent isolated revision tibiotalar arthrodesis, and 9 had an additional hindfoot arthrodesis (7 tibiotalocalcaneal, 2 pantalar) performed at the time of the procedure. Rigid internal fixation with screws was performed when possible, and, in patients with poor bone quality, an external fixator was used. Autogenous bone grafting was used in 14 patients where bone loss was present. Twenty-one of 23 patients had successful union (average, 14 weeks; range, 6-48 weeks). Two patients underwent successful arthrodesis but had persistent pain from reflex sympathetic dystrophy. Overall, 19 of 23 patients were satisfied with the surgery. We conclude that revision arthrodesis for tibiotalar pseudoarthrosis is a worthwhile procedure.

Between 1987 and 1994, we treated 33 patients with surgical revision for failed triple arthrodesis, 28 (29 feet) of whom returned for final examination (mean, 4.4 years; range, 2-7 years). The average age of these 16 women and 12 men was 46 years (range, 14-69 years). Before the revision procedure, patients had undergone nonoperative therapies for an average of 3.7 years (range, 0.5-12 years) and an average of three foot operations (range, 1-6 operations) after the primary triple arthrodesis. All patients were managed with rigid internal fixation via cannulated screws and power staples. Calcaneal osteotomy and/or revision of the transverse tarsal arthrodesis via appropriate saw cuts and bone wedges were used. Iliac crest bone graft was added, when a bone block arthrodesis was required, for those patients with nonunion or ankle impingement. Arthrodesis was achieved in all 29 feet, although 4 patients (4 feet) (14%) required additional procedures for malunion (2 patients), deformity recurrence (1 patient), deep infection (1 patient), and skin graft (1 patient). Comparison of the average pre- (retrospective) and postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society 94-point hindfoot and ankle scores showed a significant improvement: 31 points (range, 13-61 points) versus 59 points (range, 24-91 points), respectively (P < 0.05). On a scale of 0 to 10 points, average patient satisfaction was 7.8 points (range, 2-10 points). This study demonstrated a satisfactory improvement in patient outcome after surgical correction of failed triple arthrodesis. We conclude that such a revision, although complex, may be attempted to establish a plantigrade foot free of infection and able to wear shoes without and orthosis or brace.