Foot Diseases Research Articles

Why Minimally Invasive Techniques Are the Future of Foot Surgery?

Abstract: Minimally invasive surgical techniques have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. The first data on MIS correction of foot deformities dates back to 1940, when the first instrumentation for minimally invasive foot surgery was developed. With the advent of X-ray in the 1960s, both instruments and surgical techniques have been improved. X-ray control is at the heart of this type of surgery. Over the years, the instrumentation and implants used for this type of surgery have undergone rapid development. Nowadays, the question is whether to use open surgery at all for the treatment of foot deformities? The aim of this article is to show the application of minimally invasive techniques for the correction of various orthopeadic diseases of the foot and ankle - benefits, negatives, scope of application and results Materials and Methods: The study included 110 patients who underwent percutaneous (minimally invasive) surgery in the period 2019-2024. Of them, 106 were women aged 13 to 75 years and 4 men aged 45-67 years, and were followed up for a period of 2 years. Results: Clinical, radiological and functional. Conclusions: With MIS surgery, we solve the surgical tasks with minimal trauma to the soft tissues, which leads to much less pain, swelling and faster patient recovery. Overall, we can gain up to 2 months faster recovery. Excellent cosmetic results are also important for most patients. Immediate loading, verticalization and discharge on the same day also meet modern medical standards, which leads to reduced hospital costs.

CONSIDERATIONS ON THE MAIN FOOT DISEASES IN LIVESTOCK FARMING: a integrative review of the literature

Introduction: Cattle farming, whether dairy or beef, is one of the mainstays of the Brazilian economy today. Foot diseases directly affect the production chain in this agricultural area, causing production to fall and reducing the economic potential of the activity. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical, epidemiological and pathophysiological aspects of the main foot diseases that affect livestock, building on knowledge based on case reports and previous theoretical approaches. Materials and Methods: This is a integrative review of the literature on the main foot diseases affecting livestock. The descriptors "Foot Diseases", "Farming" and "Epidemiology" were cross-referenced in the National Library of Medicine (PubMed MEDLINE), Google Scholar and Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases. After this, Sole Ulcer, White Line Disease, Digital Dermatitis and Phlegmon were chosen for discussion. Results and Discussion: The articles included in this integrative review showed epidemiological, clinical, pathophysiological and propaedeutic aspects of the main foot diseases that affect livestock. Conclusion: Foot diseases represent a major problem for dairy cattle farming, being responsible for reduced production and the early disposal of animals. Most of them have lameness as a common symptom, which is the cause of changes in the gait of cattle and, consequently, in the physiological habits of the animals.

FRI606 Changes In The Pedal Microcirculation Of Diabetic Patients With Poor Glycemic Control Detected Using Non Invasive Optical Imaging

Abstract Disclosure: I.K. Bolakale-Rufai: None. S. French: None. J.C. Arias: None. K. Concha-Moore: None. T. Tan: None. D.G. Armstrong: None. A. Mazhar: Employee; Self; Modulim. C.C. Weinkauf: None. Background: Microvascular disease (MVD) describes systemic changes in the small vessels (∼100 υm diameter) that impair tissue oxygenation and perfusion. Emerging evidence has shown that MVD (which is prevalent in diabetics) is clinically relevant as it synergistically acts with peripheral arterial disease to increase the risk of limb loss by 22.7-fold. Poor glycemic control has been linked to clinical microvascular disease (nephropathy and retinopathy) However, the direct impact of poor glycemic control on the microcirculation of the feet is unknown as there are currently no standardized non-invasive methods used clinically to assess and quantify MVD of the lower limbs. Spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) is a novel non-invasive optical technology that can detect and quantify microvascular disease of the foot by measuring the amount of hemoglobin(HbT1) in the capillaries of the superficial dermis up to 1-2mm deep and oxygenation (StO2) in the dermal micro-circulation. We hypothesize that poor glycemic control in DM affects pedal microcirculation and the changes can be detected using the SFDI technology. Methods: 307 patients (600 lower extremity limbs) were prospectively enrolled at a single institution, Banner University Medicine, Tucson, AZ from 2016- 2023. Diabetic patients were stratified into three groups based on their HbA1c level: ≤6.7%, 6.8-9.9%, and ≥10%. Mann U Whitney test and Spearman rank correlation were used in testing the association between HbA1C and SFDI-metrics with p<.05 considered as statistical significance. Results: We included 230 lower limbs belonging to diabetic patients. The mean age of the patients was 61.7 years. Clinical neuropathy and retinopathy were found in 79% and 30.7% of patients, respectively. SFDI-derived biomarkers of microcirculation were compared among diabetics categorized by HbA1C levels. We observed a significant reduction in papillary dermal perfusion (HbT1) as the glycemic control (HbA1C) of the patients worsened (p<0.001). Although tissue oxygenation (StO2) was not statistically different across diabetic groups, the St02/HbT1 ratio which represents the ratio of tissue oxygenation to perfusion, increased with elevated HbA1C levels. This indicated that poorly controlled diabetics had less oxygen being extracted from their poorly perfused micro-circulation. Conclusions: This study suggests that poor glycemic control directly affects the microcirculation of the feet in diabetic patients. The SFDI technology is a promising noninvasive tool to evaluate microvascular disease of the feet and potentially may be utilized clinically to stratify diabetic patients at risk for foot ulceration or limb loss based on glycemic control over time. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

Radiological-nuclear medicine hybrid diagnostics with SPECT/CT for chronic foot and ankle diseases : Anew and important diagnostic tool

In contrast to standard methods (sonography, X‑ray, CT(computed tomography), MRI(magnetic resonance imaging), numerous diseases of the foot or ankle can be diagnosed using SPECT/CT (single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography) with regard to their clinical relevance with high accuracy (up to > 90%). The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date overview of the importance of SPECT/CT in selected diseases of the foot and ankle. Aliterature search was carried out in the Pubmed database using the following terms: SPECT/CT, SPECT, skeletal scintigraphy, CT, computed tomography, foot and ankle disease, OSG, tarsal root, foot pain. The publications were selected with regard to questions and diagnoses that frequently occur in foot and ankle diagnostics. Furthermore, papers that describe amore precise diagnosis, achange in therapy management or areduction in symptoms due to the use of SPECT/CT were selected. Several studies have shown that afocally increased bone metabolism in osteoarthritis and osteochondral lesions correlates significantly with the development of pain. The presence of symptomatic ossicles such as the os naviculare accessorium typeII and os trigonum can be clearly demonstrated with the help of SPECT/CT and cannot be assigned as the source of the symptoms as accurately with any other imaging method. Bony reactions in the area of coalitions, arthrodesis, osteosynthesis, occult fractures, prostheses and diabetic foot cannot be detected with comparable accuracy using any other imaging method, so that therapy concepts in unclear cases, based only on standard imaging are changed inup to 2/3 of cases by SPECT/CT information. SPECT/CT is useful when there are clinical uncertainties despite standard imaging.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease of the Foot and Ankle: Imaging Features and Pathophysiology.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited peripheral polyneuropathy, resulting in length-dependent motor and sensory deficiencies. Asymmetric nerve involvement in the lower extremities creates a muscle imbalance, which manifests as a characteristic cavovarus deformity of the foot and ankle. This deformity is widely considered to be the most debilitating symptom of the disease, causing the patient to feel unstable and limiting mobility. Foot and ankle imaging in patients with CMT is critical for evaluation and treatment, as there is a wide range of phenotypic variation. Both radiography and weight-bearing CT should be used for assessment of this complex rotational deformity. Multimodality imaging including MRI and US is also important to help identify changes in the peripheral nerves, diagnose complications of abnormal alignment, and evaluate patients in the perioperative setting. The cavovarus foot is susceptible to distinctive pathologic conditions including soft-tissue calluses and ulceration, fractures of the fifth metatarsal, peroneal tendinopathy, and accelerated arthrosis of the tibiotalar joint. An externally applied brace can assist with balance and distribution of weight but may be appropriate for only a subset of patients. Many patients will require surgical correction, which may include soft-tissue releases, tendon transfers, osteotomies, and arthrodesis when necessary, with the goal of creating a more stable plantigrade foot. The authors focus on the cavovarus deformity of CMT. However, much of the information discussed may also be applied to a similar deformity that may result from idiopathic causes or other neuromuscular conditions. ©RSNA, 2023 Quiz questions for this article are available through the Online Learning Center.

Barefoot Running on Grass as a Potential Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: A Prospective Case Series

Foot characteristics and running biomechanics in shod populations are associated with the aetiology of plantar fasciitis, the most common musculoskeletal disease of the foot. Previous Case reports have demonstrated improvements in the symptoms of plantar fasciitis after a period of barefoot running on grass. Recreational runners with symptomatic plantar fasciitis were prospectively enrolled into a 6-week grass based barefoot running programme. Duration of symptoms, previous management and current pain scores (NRS, VAS) were recorded at entry. Daily pain scores were recorded during the 6-week period and 12 weeks from entry to the programme. In total, 20 of 28 patients (71.4%) enrolled were included in the analysis. Relative to the entry point, pain at 6-weeks was lower (2.5 ± 1.4 vs. 3.9 ± 1.4, p < 0.001) and pain at the 12-week point was lower (1.5 (1.8), p = 0.002). 19 out of 20 patients had improved at week-6 (mean ± SD % change in pain score, -38.8 ± 21.5%) and at week-12 (median (IQR) % change in pain score, -58.3 (34.8) %). Barefoot running on grass improved pain associated with plantar fasciitis at the 6-week and 12-week follow up points. This type of barefoot running has the ability to improve symptoms whilst allowing patients to continue running, the intervention may also address some impairments of the foot associated with plantar fasciitis.

Madura Foot: A Rare Case of Eumycetoma and Proposed Classification and Treatment Guidelines

Madura foot or mycetoma pedis is a chronic granulomatous disease of the foot caused by fungus or gram-positive aerobic bacteria. It is commonly encountered in tropical and subtropical countries but is rare in Malaysia. We reported a 40-year-old Rohingya refugee who has been resident in Malaysia for the past 11 years presented with a long-standing left foot mass that was proven to be a eumycetoma. A wide local excision of the mass and full-thickness skin graft were done, followed by a course of 6-month postoperative itraconazole. He subsequently recovered well without sequela. A high index of suspicion should be raised in a patient presenting with a chronic mass and discharging sinus in order to diagnose and treat mycetoma as early initiation of therapy leads to better outcomes. Based on literature review, we propose a new classification of eumycetoma and its treatment guideline.

Calcaneal Facet of Talus: An Osseo-morphological Study in the Population of West Bengal, India

Introduction: Calcaneal articular facet of talus plays an important role in joint stability as well as in mobility. In many diseases of foot viz., talocalcaneal arthritis, coalition, intra-articular fracture, congenital flatfoot, valgus deformity; as well as in different surgical procedures viz., triple arthrodesis, internal and external fixation, osteotomy, and anatomic reduction; the size and shape of bones, the inter-relationship of talus and calcaneum with other bones of foot is an important clinical consideration. Aim: To explore the variability of the types of the calcaneal facets of talus in population of West Bengal, India. Materials and Methods: An observational descriptive study was conducted with dry specimens of tali preserved in Department of Anatomy of medical teaching institutions of Kolkata for six months; with 144 tali of unknown age and sex (69 right and 75 left-sided), collected from bone libraries of seven different medical colleges of West Bengal by non probability sampling. The borders of the calcaneal articular facets were traced with colour sketch pen, following which authors unanimously agreed upon the ‘type’ of the calcaneal facets on visual impression as was guided in the mostly used classification standard method as described by Arora AK et al., and Kaur M et al. Data was extrapolated and analysed in Microsoft excel software 2010. Results: Out of 144 tali (right=69, left=75) maximum number of type II (47.92%) was observed. For right-side, type I, II and V facets in 47.83%, 43.48% and 8.70% were observed respectively. On left-side, type I- 36%, type II- 52%, type III, IV, V 4% was observed each. Authors did not find any type III or type IV on right-side. Conclusion: Maximum prevalence of the type II articular facet was found and absence of type III/IV facets in the right-side in the current study population provides us a reflection of the anthropometric data for the population of West Bengal, but there remains scope of further study with larger sample size supported by imaging facilities.

Selected skin diseases of the feet

Foot skin diseases are common problems encountered by dermatologists. They involve the skin and nails. In addition to the health aspect, there is also an aesthetic aspect, especially troublesome in the summer. It is recommended to visit a dermatologist with any disturbing skin lesion. The article presents an overview of the most common diseases in dermatology and podiatry offices.

Duration of total contact casting for resolution of acute Charcot foot: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundCharcot neuroarthropathy (Charcot foot) is a highly destructive joint disease of the foot and ankle. If there is delayed diagnosis and treatment, it can lead to gross deformity, instability, recurrent ulceration and/or amputation. Total contact casting (TCC) is a treatment commonly used to immobilise the foot and ankle to prevent trauma, further destruction and preserve the foot structure during the inflammatory phase. At present, there is limited Australian data regarding the duration of TCC treatment for resolution of acute Charcot foot, and whether there are any patient and clinical factors affecting its duration. Therefore, this study aimed to address these deficiencies.MethodsThis study presents a retrospective analysis of 27 patients with acute Charcot foot attending for TCC treatment at a high-risk foot service (HRFS) in a large metropolitan health network in Melbourne, Australia. Over a three-year period, data were retrospectively collected by reviewing hospital medical records for clinical, demographic, medical imaging and foot examination information. To explore between-group differences, independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, Chi-square tests, and/or Fisher’s exact tests were calculated depending on data type. To evaluate associations between recorded variables and duration of TCC treatment, mean differences, odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated.ResultsMean age was 57.9 (SD, 12.6) years, 66.7% were male, 88.9% had diabetes, 96.3% had peripheral neuropathy, and 33.3% had peripheral arterial disease. Charcot misdiagnosis occurred in 63.0% of participants, and signs and symptoms consistent with acute Charcot foot were present for a median of 2.0 (IQR, 1.0 to 6.0) months prior to presenting or being referred to the HRFS. All participants had stage 1 Charcot foot. Of these, the majority were located in the tarsometatarsal joints (44.4%) or midfoot (40.7%) and were triggered by an ulcer or traumatic injury (85.2%). The median TCC duration for resolution of acute Charcot foot was 4.3 (IQR, 2.7 to 7.8) months, with an overall complication rate of 5% per cast. Skin rubbing/irritation (40.7%) and asymmetry pain (22.2%) were the most common TCC complications. Osteoarthritis was significantly associated with a TCC duration of more than 4 months (OR, 6.00). Post TCC treatment, 48.1% returned to footwear with custom foot orthoses, 25.9% used a life-long Charcot Restraint Orthotic Walker, and 22.2% had soft tissue or bone reconstructive surgery. There were no Charcot recurrences, however, contralateral Charcot occurred in 3 (11.1%) participants.ConclusionsThe median TCC duration for resolution of acute Charcot foot was 4 months, which is shorter or comparable to data reported in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, and other Asia Pacific countries. Osteoarthritis was significantly associated with a longer TCC duration. The findings from this study may assist clinicians in providing patient education, managing expectations and improving adherence to TCC treatment for acute Charcot neuroarthropathy cases in Australia.

1369. The Spectrum of Chronic Osteomyelitis in Children

BackgroundWhile the majority of pediatric osteomyelitis cases are acute in nature, a significant subset present with prolonged symptoms often associated with substantial morbidity. Little data exist to guide clinicians in the management of these infections. We sought to describe the epidemiology, clinical features and management of chronic osteomyelitis in children.MethodsWe reviewed hospital admissions with an ICD10 code for chronic osteomyelitis from 2011-2018 at Texas Children’s Hospital. Cases were included if symptoms lasted >28 days on presentation. Patients diagnosed with chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis were excluded. Cases were classified as those 1) associated with a contiguous focus (CoF), 2) penetrating or open trauma, 3) orthopedic hardware (OH), 4) post-acute chronic osteomyelitis (PACO, those occurring after >28 days of therapy for acute osteomyelitis) and 5) primary hematogenous chronic osteomyelitis (PHCO, those with 28 days of symptoms without other clear risk factors).Results114 cases met inclusion criteria. The median patient age is 11.8 years and 35.9% patients had underlying comorbidities. 83% of patients underwent a surgical procedure. Cases were diverse in terms of pathogenesis (Figure 1). A microbiologic etiology was identified in 72.8% of cases and was polymicrobial in 20.2% of cases; Staphylococcus aureus was the single most common etiology (Figure 2). CoF infection was more often associated with polymicrobial etiology with or without Pseudomonas (P< 0.001) and disease of the foot. PACO was caused by S. aureus in 95% of cases (p< 0.001, Figure 3). The overall median duration of total therapy was 210 days. 41% were discharged from hospital on OPAT with or without later transition to oral antibiotics. 26.3% of patients had persistent functional limitations at time of last follow-up of which 46% experienced repeat hospital admission/surgery. There was no association between duration of intravenous therapy and persistent functional limitations.Figure 1. Categories of Chronic Osteomyelitis Figure 2. Microbiology of Pediatric Chronic Osteomyelitis Figure 3. Clinical Features of Pediatric Chronic Osteomyelitis ConclusionChildren with chronic osteomyelitis are diverse both in terms of pathogenesis and microbiology. Pathogenesis and clinical presentation can provide clues to microbiologic etiology. Prolonged intravenous therapy does not appear to improve functional outcomes in chronic osteomyelitisDisclosures Jonathon C. McNeil, MD, Allergan (Research Grant or Support, Allergan provided ceftaroline powder for use in studies described in this abstract)

Review and optimisation of foot radiography technique

IntroductionRadiography is an important tool in the diagnosis of trauma and diseases of the foot. Consistent image quality and anatomical appearances are essential to ensure that images are interpreted correctly and this study aims to evaluate current technique and use anthropomorphical phantoms in order to investigate the most optimal radiographic technique. MethodsA two part study was conducted. An electronic survey was administered in order to ascertain the current radiographic technique utilised within the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS) and compare this with techniques published within radiographic positioning textbooks in common use within the UK. A phantom experiment also sought to identify the most appropriate angulation of the central beam to employ in order to optimally visualise the anatomy for standard non-trauma radiography of the foot. A relative visual grading analysis technique was used to assess radiographic quality. ResultsThe electronic survey was completed by 38% of departments (n = 69/182) and demonstrated wide inconsistencies in projections, centring points and beam angulations employed across the NHS. The most commonly employed techniques no longer match the majority of positions described in textbooks. The phantom experiment modelled the ability to accurately visualise anatomy with a variation of the central beam angulation. The results demonstrated that the most commonly described textbook techniques remain the most optimal for accurately visualising the anatomy of the foot. ConclusionThis study has validated the radiographic techniques of the foot described in many of the key texts, however self-reported current practice has diverged from this textbook description. Implications for practiceReinforcement of fundamental principles will benefit the patient with increased image quality, improved diagnosis and improved consistency of images, particularly when patient care is transferred between centres.

Foot metastasis: Current knowledge

Foot metastasis are rare and often overlooked due to non-specifical symptoms. This often leads to misdiagnosis delaying the right diagnosis. Metastatic disease of the foot is rare. Foot pain and swelling may be the presenting symptom of an occult malignancy. If metastatic disease is not kept in the differential diagnosis of foot pain, diagnosis and treatment will be delayed. The purpose of this study was to analyze articles presenting cases of foot metastasis to provide a more accurate incidence of symptomatic foot acrometastasis as well as to review the clinical course and outcomes. Studies were searched on PubMed/Medline from the inception to February 2020. All studies included in the review presented foot metastasis either with or without a known primary tumor. Most of the articles were case reports, to which we added two case reports of foot acrometastasis produced by our Institute. Forty-three studies with a total of 45 patients were included in this review. The literature published mostly concerning case reports about old patients (average age: 63,2), in a late phase of their disease. Lung cancer appeared to be the most common primary tumor, followed by endometrial and breast cancer. In the 36% of the cases foot metastasis were found when the primary site was still unknown. Calcaneus and metatarsal bones were the most common bones involved. Surgical solution is rare, the chosen treatments are often of palliative care. Prognosis was often poor, death occurred within 2 years since the discovery of foot metastasis in about 50% of cases.

Identification of monoclonal antibodies suitable for blocking IGF-1 receptors in the horse

Prolonged hyperinsulinemia is thought to be the cause of equine endocrinopathic laminitis, a common and crippling disease of the foot, for which there are no pharmacologic treatments other than pain relief. It has been suggested that insulin causes its effects on the lamellae by activating IGF-1 receptors (IGF-1R), as insulin receptors (InsR) are scarce in this tissue, whereas IGF-1R are abundant and become downregulated after prolonged insulin infusion. As a first step toward confirming this mechanism and beginning to develop a therapeutic anti–IGF-1R monoclonal antibody (mAb) for horses, it was necessary to identify available human IGF-1R mAbs that would recognize equine receptors. Four IGF-1R mAbs were tested using soluble equine IGF-1R, with ELISA and flow cytometry. Frozen equine lamellar and liver tissue was also used in radioligand binding assays. The results demonstrated that only one of the mAbs tested (mAb1) was able to compete effectively with IGF-1 for binding to its receptors in equine lamellar tissue, with an IC50 of 5 to 159 ng/mL. None of the 4 mAbs were able to bind to equine hepatic InsR. This study has generated valuable structure-activity information and has identified a prototype anti–IGF-1R mAb suitable for further development.

Differential diagnosis and treatment of Morton’s neuroma in ambulatory surgical practice

Introduction. Diagnosis of Mortoan neuroma in some cases does not cause much difficulty and is based on typical signs, but in some cases it presents certain difficulties. Therapeutic tactics for this disease involves the use of conservative or surgical treatment.Aim. Study of the results of differential diagnosis of Morton’s neuroma in the practice of an outpatient surgeon.Material and methods. A study of the results of diagnostics and differential diagnostics in 15 patients with chronic foot pain at the age of 28 to 46 years was conducted. Among them, there were 14 women and 1 man. Differential diagnostics for foot pain syndromes allowed us to distinguish three groups of patients. The first group included 7 patients with Morton’s neuroma. The second group included 4 patients with plantar fasciitis and the third group-4 patients with arthritis, synoviitis of the metatarsophalangeal joints. To conduct differential diagnostics, we used anamnesis, physical examination, and data from instrumental diagnostic methods.Results. Diagnosis of Morton’s neuroma was based on the use of standard research methods (anamnesis, data from a physical instrumental examination of the foot). It should be noted the importance of ultrasound examination of the soft tissues of the foot on the plantar surface for the diagnosis of Morton’s neuroma. This allows for differential diagnosis with foot diseases such as plantar fasciitis and metatarsophalangeal joint synovitis, which may show similar symptoms.Conclusion. Morton’s neuroma is not a rare disease of the foot, which in the initial stages of the disease has a blurred clinical picture, similar to other diseases of the foot. This can lead to diagnostic errors, but the use of modern diagnostic methods, including sonographic methods, allows in most cases to establish an accurate diagnosis and choose an appropriate treatment strategy.

Dermatological diseases of the feet in Turkey: The analysis of 634 patients

Aim: Dermatological diseases of the feet may be hereditary, inflammatory, infectious or malignant. The patients may be primarily evaluated by general surgeons, orthopedists, primary care physicians and podiatrists. Moreover, foot health centers are becoming increasingly popular. Therefore, we aimed to determine the most common skin disorders affecting the feet to guide the physicians in managing of skin-related foot disorders.Material and Methods: Between March 2017 and March 2019, 634 patients (55.5% female, 44.5% male) with skin disorders affecting feet were included in this study. The patients were evaluated in three groups according to the age including younger than 18, between the age of 18-65, and older than 65.Results: The most common disease group and skin disease observed in all patients were infections 272 (42.9%) and onychomycosis 106 (16.7%), respectively. Onychomycosis was followed by ingrown nail 67 (10.6%), tinea pedis 56 (8.8%) and warts 53 (8.4%). The most common disease group and skin disease were infections 18 (34.6%) and ingrown nail 17 (32.7%) in patients younger than 18, and infections 199 (45%) and onychomycosis 76 (17.2%) in patients aged 18-65. Similarly, infections 55 (39.3%) and onychomycosis 27 (19.3%) were the most common disorders observed in patients older than 65.Conclusion: This study revealed that the most common skin diseases affecting feet were onychomycosis, ingrown nail, tinea pedis and warts. However, frequency of these disorders varied depending on age. These results will guide the physicians in making diagnosis, differential diagnosis or referring the patients to a specialist when needed.

Bone SPECT/CT of the Foot and Ankle: Potential Clinical Application for Chronic Foot Pain.

Diseases of the foot and ankle are common but relatively difficult to diagnose because of the complexity of the anatomy and the frequent occurrence of multiple diseases at the same time. For these reasons, management of chronic foot pain is often clinically challenging. MRI is the imaging modality of choice in many types of diseases causing chronic foot pain, due to high resolution and excellent soft tissue contrast. However, in the postoperative state, the use of MRI can be limited by artifact from metallic devices, and it may be difficult to confirm whether the pathology detected on the MRI is the actual cause of the pain. As bone scintigraphy provides metabolic information, it can help to find the origin of pain, and SPECT/CT can further improve the specificity by adding anatomical information. In daily clinical practice for management of foot and ankle pathologies, the use of bone SPECT/CT is gradually increasing. However, there has been limited evidence of usefulness of SPECT/CT in evaluating chronic foot pain. In this review article, the potential application of bone SPECT/CT for chronic foot pain is illustrated, and the role of SPECT/CT in the management of the foot and ankle diseases in clinical practice is described.

Orthopädische Schuhtechnik

AbstractOrthopedic footwear care is a means that orthopedists and traumatologists in the German-speaking regions have at their disposal due to the long-standing tradition in the crafts sector. The prescription for orthopedic care is based on the patient’s functional deficit: e. g. foot deformities, degenerative joint diseases of the foot, knee and hip, trauma, metabolic, neurological and rheumatic diseases, tumors, inflammatory transformation, skin and nail diseases, pressure calluses, static alteration and leg length differences. Orthopedic footwear supplies are an essential component of conservative and postoperative orthopedic and traumatic therapy. Orthopedic shoe modifications include orthopedic insoles, alterations on ready-to-wear shoes, foot orthoses or prosthetic foot orthoses, custom orthopedic footwear, standard orthopedic footwear (training shoes, semi-orthopedic shoes, protective footwear) and orthopedic specialty footwear.

Interdigital Hyperplasia in Holstein Cattle Is Associated With a Missense Mutation in the Signal Peptide Region of the Tyrosine-Protein Kinase Transmembrane Receptor Gene.

Bovine interdigital hyperplasia (IH) is a typical disease of the foot with varying prevalence depending on age, breed, and environmental factors resulting in different degrees of lameness. In studies based on assessments of claw health status at time of hoof trimming and applying genetic-statistical models to analyze this data, IH consistently exhibits high estimates of heritability in the range of 0.30–0.40. Although some studies have identified chromosomal regions that could possibly harbor causative genes, a clear identification of molecular causes for IH is lacking. While analyzing the large database of claw health status as documented at time of hoof trimming, we identified one herd with extreme prevalence of IH of > 50% of affected Holstein dairy cows. This herd subsequently was chosen as the object of a detailed study. A total of n = 91 cows was assessed and revealed a prevalence of 59.3% and 38.5% for IH cases, documented as “one-sided” or “two-sided”, respectively. Cows were genotyped using the BovineSNP50 BeadChip. A genome wide association study revealed two significantly associated chromosomal positions (-log10P = 5.57) on bovine chromosome 8 (BTA8) located in intron 5 and downstream of the receptor tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 2 (ROR2) gene. As ROR2 plays a key role in ossification of the distal limbs and is associated with brachydactylies in humans, it was a reasonable candidate for IH. A comparative sequencing of the ROR2 gene between cases and controls revealed two missense variants in exon 1 (NC_037335.1:g.85,905,534T > A, ARS-UCD1.2) and exon 9 (NC_037335.1:g.86,140,379A > G, ARS-UCD1.2), respectively. Genotyping of both variants in the cohort of 91 cattle showed that the exon 1 variant (rs377953295) remained significantly associated with IH (p < 0.0001) as a risk factor of the disease. This variant resulted in an amino acid exchange (ENSBTAP00000053765.2:p.Trp9Arg) in the N-terminal region of the ROR2 signal peptide which is necessary for proper topology of the polypeptide during translocation. Quantification of ROR2 mRNA and ROR2 protein showed that the variant resulted in a significant suppression of ROR2 expression in homozygous affected compared to wild type and carrier cows.

2019 interpretation of the international guidelines for the prevention and management of diabetic foot diseases

In May 2019, the International Diabetic Foot Working Group (IWGDF) updated and issued guidelines for the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease. This guide puts forward some suggestions for the diagnosis, treatment and effective prevention of diabetic foot: the prevention of diabetic foot should start with high-risk foot, early screening and treatment of diabetic foot infection, foot ulcer and peripheral vascular disease and early comprehensive treatment. Effective prevention and early treatment can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with diabetes, reduce the amputation rate and mortality, and improve the prognosis and quality of life of patients. Key words: Diabetic foot; Foot ulcer; Peripheral vascular diseases