Foot And Ankle Outcome Score Symptoms Research Articles

Impact of Midfoot Charcot Arthropathy (Brodsky Type 1) on Patient Reported Outcome Scores

Introduction/Purpose: Charcot arthropathy is a debilitating and challenging clinical problem for patients and providers. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are an effective tool for gauging a patient’s quality of life and daily functioning, but they have not been reported in the setting of Charcot arthropathy. Our goal is to assess PROMs severity in midfoot Charcot arthropathy (Brodsky Type 1), alongside linked demographics and comorbidities. We will compare these values with PROMs from conditions like ESRD, knee and hip arthritis, highlighting Charcot arthropathy's comparable debilitation. Methods: A retrospective chart review identified 67 patients with Brodsky Type 1 Charcot arthropathy by one of two fellowship- trained foot and ankle surgeons at a single academic medical center between years 2015 and 2023. ICD-10 CM codes E11.610, M14.671, and M14.672 were used to identify diagnosis of Charcot arthropathy and radiological interpretation determined Brodsky type. Data collected from patient charts included demographics, medical history, presence of ulcers, and preoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS), 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Pain Disability Index (PDI), SSS- 8, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) scores and postoperative FAOS and FAAM scores. A One-Way ANOVA was performed to evaluate statistical significance. Averages of preoperative PROM scores were compared to literature values for other diseases. Results: Our cohort was mostly male (58.2%), with mean age 61.73 years, BMI 32.9, and A1C 6.9. Initial presentation revealed 50.7% had ulcers. Brodsky type 1 (midfoot) had notably the lowest pre-op PROM scores when compared to other Brodsky types: PDI Recreation (p=.033), FAOS Symptoms and Stiffness (p=.044), and FAOS Recreation (p=.027). Ulcer presence yielded significantly lower FAAM-ADL scores (p=.038), while other PROMs showed no statistical difference. Our mean VAS score was 53.34 which was higher than hip arthritis VAS (43.0) but lower than ESRD VAS (60.0) and knee arthritis VAS (64.2). Our SF-12 PCS scores (29.4) exceeded prior reports (hip 28.5, knee 28.6), while SF-12 MCS scores were higher in earlier studies (hip 49.6, knee 51.5) than our 43.8. Conclusion: Patients with Charcot arthropathy struggle in daily tasks, reflected in lowered FAOS ADL scores. Brodsky type 1 patients also face challenges in higher-level activities, evident in reduced PDI recreation and FAOS recreation scores. Those with ulcers similarly encounter issues in daily tasks, seen in lower FAAM ADL scores. Brodsky type 1 patients also experience debilitating pain as noted by higher VAS scores when compared to known debilitating conditions such as hip and knee arthritis. Comparatively minor differences in knee and hip arthritis SF-12 PCS scores indicate significant physical limitations for these patients.

Limited Open Achilles Repair without Instrument Guided Assistance: A Surgical Technique

Category: Sports Introduction/Purpose: The limited open Achilles tendon repair technique has recently gained popularity as a treatment option for acute Achilles tendon ruptures. This surgical technique video describes a limited open Achilles tendon repair without instrument guided assistance, demonstrating improved clinical outcomes for patients while also reducing reliance on operative equipment, cost, and the duration of surgery. Methods: The indications for this limited open Achilles tendon repair technique include an Achilles tendon rupture less than six weeks from injury occurring in the watershed area. The patient is prone and a two to three centimeter longitudinal incision is made over the Achilles tear. In the proximal stump, three non-absorbable sutures are passed horizontally from proximal to distal direction. In the distal stump, the same is done in a non-locking manner. The stumps are then reflected and the deep fascial compartment is released. The foot is plantarflexed to reduce tension on the repair site. The non-locking sutures are tied sequentially from distal-distal to proximal-proximal direction. A running box suture using a non-absorbable suture followed by 0- Vicryl around the rupture site is performed. Results: This technique has demonstrated, at a median follow-up of 3.7 years, restored preinjury function along with no wound complications, reruptures, or reoperations in 33 patients. The median time from injury to surgery was 10 (range, 1-45) days and the mean time for returning to preinjury level of activity was 5.6 (range, 1.7-22.1) months. After the procedure, patients demonstrated significant improvements in mean Foot and Ankle Disability Index (49.1 to 98.4), mean Visual Analog Scale pain score (4.8 to 0.2), and mean Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) subscales such as FAOS pain (54.8 to 99.2), FAOS symptoms (84.6 to 97.0), FAOS activities of daily living (61.4 to 97.2), FAOS sports and recreational activity (39.5 to 98.5), and FAOS quality of life (39.7 to 88.7). Conclusion: Patients who underwent a limited open Achilles tendon repair without instrument guided assistance demonstrated significant improvements in outcome scores with minimal complications.

Is There a Psychiatric Diagnosis in Chronic Ankle Instability Patients?

Category: Ankle; Other Introduction/Purpose: Ankle instability is an extremely common clinical entity. Chronic ankle instability (CAI) can develop in some patients, leading to continued pain and dysfunction. However, there is very limited data to date on what impact common psychiatric pathology may have on patients' experience with CAI. This study aimed to investigate the association between psychiatric diagnosis and CAI, and whether having a diagnosed psychiatric illness impacts the outcome of CAI. We hypothesized that a concomitant diagnosis of psychiatric pathology with CAI would be significantly associated with lower postoperative patient- reported outcome measures (PROMs). Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 276 patients (280 ankles) treated between 2005 and 2021 at an academic medical center by one of three fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons, of which 56 underwent surgery and 130 had a concomitant psychiatric diagnosis (i.e., anxiety=111, depression=105, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]=19, obsessive- compulsive disorder [OCD]=6, bipolar disorder [BPD]=5). Data collected included demographics, conservative treatment history, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), such as Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Brief Resiliency Scale (BRS), 12-Item Short-Form Survey (SF-12), Somatic Symptom Scale (SSS-8), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Pain Disability Index (PDI), Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM). Results: Preoperatively, patients with these concomitant psychiatric diagnoses had worse preoperative PROMs. However, the overall cohort improved postoperatively across all PROMs. In particular, the FAOS Total score relatively increased by 35.28% (preop=57.29%, postop=77.50%, p=.011) and the FAAM Total by 49.86% (preop=45.87%, postop=68.74%, p=.027). Both improvements were significant. Of note, the relative change of pre- to postoperative FAOS and FAAM scores was greater among the mental illness group in all scores but FAOS Sports and Recreation. (Table 1) However, no postoperative PROM among the mental illness group, aside from the FAOS Symptoms and Stiffness score, was as high as the postoperative score of those without mental illness. Although patients with these psychiatric illnesses more often failed conservative measures and subsequently received surgical treatment, this was not significant. Conclusion: CAI patients with a concomitant psychiatric diagnosis improved more following surgery than those without mental illness, as measured by FAOS and FAAM scores. However, the mental illness group did not report postoperative FAOS and FAAM scores as high as those without mental illness. Furthermore, CAI patients with a concomitant mental illness more often failed conservative treatment and went on to receive surgery. Physicians should be aware of this information when counseling CAI patients with a concomitant mental illness.

Limited Open Achilles Repair Without Instrument-Guided Assistance

Background: The limited open Achilles tendon repair technique has recently gained popularity as a treatment option for acute Achilles tendon ruptures. This surgical technique video describes a limited open Achilles tendon repair without instrument guided assistance, demonstrating improved clinical outcomes for patients while also reducing reliance on operative equipment, cost, and the duration of surgery. Indications: The indications for this limited open Achilles tendon repair technique include an Achilles tendon rupture less than 6 weeks from injury occurring in the watershed area. Technique Description: The patient is prone and a 2- to 3-centimeter longitudinal incision is made over the Achilles tear. In the proximal stump, 3 nonabsorbable sutures are passed horizontally from proximal to distal direction. In the distal stump, the same is done in a nonlocking manner. The stumps are then reflected and the deep fascial compartment is released. The foot is plantarflexed to reduce tension on the repair site. The nonlocking sutures are tied sequentially from distal-distal to proximal-proximal direction. A running box suture using a nonabsorbable suture followed by 0-Vicryl around the rupture site is performed. Results: This technique has demonstrated, at a median follow-up of 3.7 years, restored pre-injury function along with no wound complications, re-ruptures, or re-operations in 33 patients. The median time from injury to surgery was 10 (range, 1-45) days and the mean time for returning to pre-injury level of activity was 5.6 (range, 1.7-22.1) months. After the procedure, patients demonstrated significant improvements in mean Foot and Ankle Disability Index (49.1-98.4), mean Visual Analog Scale pain score (4.8-0.2), and mean Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) subscales such as FAOS pain (54.8-99.2), FAOS symptoms (84.6-97.0), FAOS activities of daily living (61.4-97.2), FAOS sports and recreational activity (39.5-98.5), and FAOS quality of life (39.7-88.7). Conclusion: Patients who underwent a limited open Achilles tendon repair without instrument-guided assistance demonstrated significant improvements in outcome scores with minimal complications.

Clinical Outcomes and Complications Following Limited Open Achilles Repair Without an Instrumented Guide.

We report the clinical outcomes and complications following our limited open incision Achilles tendon repair technique without instrument guides. A total of 33 patients were included in this study. We recorded pre- and postoperative scores on the Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI), visual analog scale (VAS), and the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS). Subgroup analyses were performed for acute (<2 weeks) and subacute (2-6 weeks) Achilles tendon repairs. A P value <.05 was considered significant for all statistical analyses. The median time from injury to surgery was 10.0 days (range, 1-45 days). At a median follow-up of 3.7 years (range, 1.0-9.8 years), the average pre- and postoperative outcome scores improved significantly for the following: FADI index (49.1-98.4, P < .001), VAS (4.8-0.2, P < .001), FAOS Pain (54.8-99.2, P < .001), FAOS Symptoms (84.6-97.0, P < .001), FAOS activities of daily living (61.4-97.2, P < .001), FAOS Sports and Recreational Activity (39.5-98.5, P < .001), and FAOS quality of life (39.7-88.7, P < .001). There were no significant differences between pre- and postoperative outcome scores between the acute and subacute Achilles repair groups. There were no wound complication, reruptures, or reoperations in the entire cohort. Patients showed improvements in postoperative patient-reported outcome scores with minimal complications. There was no significant difference in outcomes for acute vs subacute repairs. Our limited open incision Achilles tendon repair, which required no additional targeting instrumentation, had favorable midterm results. Level IV, retrospective case series.

The effect of high intensity laser therapy in the management of painful calcaneal spur: a double blind, placebo-controlled study.

To evaluate the effect of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) in patients with calcaneal spur. The patients were randomized to receive either HILT + exercise (n = 21) (five times a week for a period of 3weeks) or placebo HILT + exercise (n = 21) (five times a week for a period of 3weeks). Pain severity (with visual analog scale (VAS) and with Roles and Maudsley score (RMS)), functionality (with Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS)), plantar pressure measurement, and quality of life (with short form-36 (SF-36)) of the patients were evaluated at baseline, at 4weeks, and 12weeks. A significant improvement in the VAS (p < 0.001), RMS (p < 0.001), and most of the SF-36 subgroup scores (p < 0.05) and most of the FAOS subgroup scores (p < 0.05) at 4 and 12weeks after treatment was achieved in both groups. Besides, there was no significant difference in VAS (p > 0.05) and RMS (p > 0.05) between the groups. FAOS symptoms (p = 0.022) and quality of life (p = 0.038) subgroups were higher in the placebo group at 12weeks. Significant improvements were observed in dynamic pedographic measurements in the HILT group (p < 0.05), and dynamic measurement values were significantly higher in the HILT group compared to placebo group (p < 0.05). Although the evaluation parameters, except dynamic pedographic measurements, have improved in both groups, our study results showed no superiority of HILT over placebo. To conclude, when the main complaint is pain in patients, only exercise therapy can be an economical, practical, and reliable treatment.