Outpatient Foot Research Articles

Association of Preulcerative Foot Care and Outcomes of Diabetic Foot Ulceration.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of preulcerative foot care and outcomes of diabetic foot ulcerations (DFUs). This retrospective cohort study using the Mariner all-payers claims data set included participants with a new DFU from 2010 to 2019. Patients were stratified into two cohorts (foot care and control) based on whether they had received any outpatient foot care within 12 months before DFU. Adjusted comparison was performed by propensity matching for age, sex, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (1:2 ratio). Kaplan-Meier estimates and logistic regression examined the association between foot care and outcomes of DFUs. Of the 307,131 patients in the study cohort, 4.7% (n = 14,477) received outpatient preulcerative foot care within the 12-month period before DFU. The rate of major amputation was 1.8% (foot care, 1.2%), and 9.0% of patients had hospitalizations for foot infection within 12 months after DFU (foot care, 7.8%). In the study cohort, patients who received pre-DFU foot care had greater major amputation-free survival (P < .001) on Kaplan-Meier estimate. In both the study and matched cohorts, multivariable analysis demonstrated that foot care was associated with lower odds of major amputation for both study (odds ratio [OR], 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48-0.66) and matched (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.51-0.72) cohorts, and lower odds of hospitalizations for a foot infection in both study (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.86-0.96) and matched (OR, 0.88, 95% CI, 0.82-0.94) cohorts. Among patients with a new DFU, those who received outpatient preulcerative foot care within 12 months of diagnosis had lower risks of major amputation and hospitalizations for foot infection.

Efficacy of Liposomal Bupivacaine in Managing Postoperative Pain in Foot and Ankle Surgeries: A Prospective Randomized Blinded Controlled Study

Category: Hindfoot; Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: Surgeons’ response to the nationwide opioid epidemic has included using alternatives to narcotic pain medications. Regional anesthesia has provided options to reduce narcotic consumption after surgery. Liposomal Bupivacaine (LB) is not FDA approved for use in nerve blocks in the lower extremity, though it is approved for more dangerous blocks (interscalene for example) in the upper extremity. The literature on LB in foot and ankle surgery has been limited to local infiltration and no major study has explored its efficacy when used in lower extremity peripheral nerve blocks. In this study, we compare local LB infiltration with LB used in peripheral nerve blocks in the lower extremity and compare both of these techniques with the current standard of care, a non-LB peripheral nerve block. Methods: All patients undergoing surgery in a single surgeon foot and ankle practice were enrolled in this IRB approved, prospective, randomized controlled study. Patients having surgery between January 2022 – January 2023 were randomized to one of three study arms: Group 1 Anesthesia administered ultrasound guided nerve block with local anesthetic only, Group 2 Anesthesia administered ultrasound guided nerve block with LB/local only mix, or Group 3 Surgeon administered infiltrative field block with LB/local mix. The primary outcomes collected included the amount of narcotic pain medication required in the PACU, oral morphine equivalents (OME) up to postoperative day 4 and after postoperative day 4, subjective duration of nerve block, and patient reported outcomes (PROMIS Pain Interference/Depression/Physical Function). Collection was obtained via chart review from hospital EMR, and phone calls made to patients during specific time intervals after surgery. Analysis was performed utilizing GraphPad Prism (Ver 9.0, GraphPad Software, San Diego CA USA). Results: After exclusion of 110 patients, 248 patients met inclusion criteria. Ninety-eight underwent perineural popliteal or popliteal adductor block with LB/local mix, 70 underwent popliteal or popliteal adductor block with local only (Group 2), 80 underwent surgeon administered local field block with LB/local mix (Group 3). Median PACU morphine equivalents required for pain control were significantly lower in Groups 1 and 2 (0 OME) compared to local field block (7.5 OME) (p &lt; 0.05). Median OME utilized up to POD 4 and median OME utilized after POD 4 were both significantly lower in the LB/local mix perineural block group (p &lt; 0.05) compared to Groups 2 and 3. Duration of block effect was significantly higher in the LB/local mix group compared to Groups 2 and 3 (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Preoperative perineural blocks containing a mix of LB and local anesthetic significantly reduce PACU, early postoperative, and mid postoperative narcotic use of patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle surgery. The duration of effect of perineural block is significantly extended with addition of LB to the block mixture. Consideration should be given to the use of LB blocks in foot and ankle surgical procedures to reduce patient postoperative narcotic requirements.

How Have Patient Out-of-pocket Costs for Common Outpatient Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgical Procedures Changed Over Time? A Retrospective Study From 2010 to 2020.

Out-of-pocket (OOP) costs can be substantial financial burdens for patients and may even cause patients to delay or forgo necessary medical procedures. Although overall healthcare costs are rising in the United States, recent trends in patient OOP costs for foot and ankle orthopaedic surgical procedures have not been reported. Fully understanding patient OOP costs for common orthopaedic surgical procedures, such as those performed on the foot and ankle, might help patients and professionals make informed decisions regarding treatment options and demonstrate to policymakers the growing unaffordability of these procedures. (1) How do OOP costs for common outpatient foot and ankle surgical procedures for commercially insured patients compare between elective and trauma surgical procedures? (2) How do these OOP costs compare between patients enrolled in various insurance plan types? (3) How do these OOP costs compare between surgical procedures performed in hospital-based outpatient departments and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs)? (4) How have these OOP costs changed over time? This was a retrospective, comparative study drawn from a large, longitudinally maintained database. Data on adult patients who underwent elective or trauma outpatient foot or ankle surgical procedures between 2010 and 2020 were extracted using the MarketScan Database, which contains well-delineated cost variables for all patient claims, which are particularly advantageous for assessing OOP costs. Of the 1,031,279 patient encounters initially identified, 41% (427,879) met the inclusion criteria. Demographic, procedural, and financial data were recorded. The median patient age was 50 years (IQR 39 to 57); 65% were women, and more than half of patients were enrolled in preferred provider organization insurance plans. Approximately 75% of surgical procedures were classified as elective (rather than trauma), and 69% of procedures were performed in hospital-based outpatient departments (rather than ASCs). The primary outcome was OOP costs incurred by the patient, which were defined as the sum of the deductible, coinsurance, and copayment paid for each episode of care. Monetary data were adjusted to 2020 USD. A general linear regression, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test were used for analysis, as appropriate. Alpha was set at 0.05. For foot and ankle indications, trauma surgical procedures generated higher median OOP costs than elective procedures (USD 942 [IQR USD 150 to 2052] versus USD 568 [IQR USD 51 to 1426], difference of medians USD 374; p < 0.001). Of the insurance plans studied, high-deductible health plans had the highest median OOP costs. OOP costs were lower for procedures performed in ASCs than in hospital-based outpatient departments (USD 645 [IQR USD 114 to 1447] versus USD 681 [IQR USD 64 to 1683], difference of medians USD 36; p < 0.001). This trend was driven by higher coinsurance for hospital-based outpatient departments than for ASCs (USD 391 [IQR USD 0 to 1136] versus USD 337 [IQR USD 0 to 797], difference of medians USD 54; p < 0.001). The median OOP costs for common outpatient foot and ankle surgical procedures increased by 102%, from USD 450 in 2010 to USD 907 in 2020. Rapidly increasing OOP costs of common foot and ankle orthopaedic surgical procedures warrant a thorough investigation of potential cost-saving strategies and initiatives to enhance healthcare affordability for patients. In particular, measures should be taken to reduce underuse of necessary care for patients enrolled in high-deductible health plans, such as shorter-term deductible timespans and placing additional regulations on the implementation of these plans. Moreover, policymakers and physicians could consider finding ways to increase the proportion of procedures performed at ASCs for procedure types that have been shown to be equally safe and effective as in hospital-based outpatient departments. Future studies should extend this analysis to publicly insured patients and further investigate the health and financial effects of high-deductible health plans and ASCs, respectively. Level III, economic and decision analysis.

Postoperative Infection and Revision Surgery Rates in Foot and Ankle Surgery Without Routine Prescription of Prophylactic Antibiotics

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are associated with patient morbidity and increased healthcare costs. Limited literature in foot and ankle surgery provides guidance about routine administration of postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and revision surgery rates of SSI in outpatient foot and ankle surgeries in patients not receiving oral postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis. A retrospective review of all outpatient surgeries (n = 1517) conducted by a single surgeon in a tertiary referral academic center was conducted through electronic medical records. Incidence of SSI, revision surgery rate, and associated risk factors were determined. The median follow-up was 6 months. Postoperative infection occurred in 2.9% (n = 44) of the surgeries conducted, with 0.9% of patients (n = 14) requiring return to the operating room. Thirty patients (2.0%) were diagnosed with simple superficial infections, which resolved with local wound care and oral antibiotics. Diabetes (adjusted odds ratio, 2.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 4.38; P = 0.049) and increasing age (adjusted odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.04; P = 0.016) were significantly associated with postoperative infection. This study demonstrated low postoperative infection and revision surgery rates without the routine prescription of prophylactic postoperative antibiotics. Increasing age and diabetes are signficant risk factors for developing a postoperative infection.

Podiatric care from diabetologists point of view.

To find out the study data, we prepared in cooperation with the &#268;DS &#268;LS JEP Committee a questionnaire survey for outpatient diabetology specialists. The questionnaire was completed by 57% (76/135) of diabetologists. Most of them dispensary approximately 1000- 2000 patients with DM. Their feet are checked by 98.7% of diabetologists (1.6 ± 0.8 times a year on average). Screening for the risk of DFS (13024) is performing in less than 100 patients by 74.3% of diabetologists, in 100-200 patients by 14.9% and in more than 200 patients by 10.8% of diabetologists. 77% of respondents are able to examine neuropathy, the rest send their patients to neurologists, peripheral arterial disease is evaluated by only 47.3% of diabetologists (35.3% of them use some form of instrumental examination), others (48.6%) send patients to angiologists, 4.1% of diabetologists do not examine PAD at all). Based on the assessed findings, more than half of the respondents (50.7%) perform scoring for the risk of DFS, but 1/5 of outpatient diabetologists do not know how the scoring is performed. If colleagues find a patient at a risk for DFS, they usually follow him/her by themselves (64.4%), in 24.6% of cases they send the patient immediately to podiatry or surgery (11%). If a patient with a new DFS comes at diabetology clinic, 72.6% of diabetologists are able to prescribe off-loading, 60.3% antibiotics, 47.9% local therapy. Only 52.1% of diabetologists send a patient with a new DFS to outpatient foot clinic, 39.7% to surgery, the rest of them elsewhere. Based on the questionnaire survey results, the screening of DFS is currently severely undersized in outpatient diabetology clinics, it is sufficiently performed only by 11% of diabetologists. Only 16% of diabetologists perform some form of non-invasive diagnostic procedures detecting peripheral arterial disease, neuropathy examinations are more common. If a diabetologist meet a patient with newly developed DFS, he/she is able to prescribe off-loading or antibiotics, but only half of the diabetologists send the patient to outpatient foot clinic, probably due to a lack of them or their overload.

Opiate Free Multimodal Pain Pathway in Elective Foot and Ankle Surgery: A Prospective Study

Category: Bunion; Other Introduction/Purpose: Orthopedic surgeons frequently prescribe and overprescribe narcotic pain medications during the postoperative period, despite our increased understanding of the opioid crisis. In an effort to minimize narcotic analgesia and its potential side effects, opiate free multimodal pain pathways have been developed with promising results. However, there is a lack of published literature looking at opiate free multimodal pain protocols for elective outpatient foot and ankle surgeries. At our institution we have been implementing a novel opiate free multimodal post-operative pain protocol for elective outpatient foot and ankle surgeries. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy, feasibility, outcomes and satisfaction of an opioid-free, multimodal postoperative pathway in patients undergoing elective outpatient foot and ankle surgery. Methods: This study was approved by our IRB and was a prospective study. Data was collected from December 1st, 2020 through February 9th, 2022 for patients who underwent a primary elective outpatient foot and ankle surgery including bunion correction surgery with or without a lesser toe procedure(s). These patients completed a comprehensive opioid-free, multimodal pain management protocol and a follow up with one of two fellowship trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons. The multimodal treatment protocol included oral Lyrica, Tylenol, Toradol and flexeril to begin POD#0. Mobic was given to POD #4 once Toradol was completed. All data was collected in a prospective manner. At POD#1, #3, and #8, patients were contacted to collect VAS scores, complications, ED and Urgent care visits, and pain medication needs. At two week follow up these were again collected in addition to overall satisfaction rates. Results: 33 patients enrolled with a mean age of 55 (19-81) years old. The average follow up was 11.5 weeks. On POD#1, #3, #8, and at 2 week follow up our patients’ average VAS pain score was a 4.0, 2.5, 1.6, and 1.4 out of 10, respectively. 18% of patients required narcotics within the first 2 weeks, but by 2 weeks no patients were taking narcotics. No patients visited an ED or urgent care during the first 2 weeks post operatively. Common side effects were drowsiness/tiredness and constipation. Only 4 reported nausea or GI upset at 2 week follow up. Overall, 91% were satisfied with their pain control, 78% would follow the same protocol again, and 82% would recommend this pain management regimen to others. Conclusion: An opioid-free, multimodal pain management pathway is a safe and effective option in properly selected patients undergoing elective outpatient foot and ankle surgery with a very low risk of requiring rescue opioids, having significant side effects, and/or needing an ED or urgent care evaluation within the first 2 week post operative period.

Postoperative Pain in Outpatient Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Trauma Surgery Patients

Category: Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Opioid pain medications are frequently prescribed after orthopedic surgery as effective tools for pain relief, but with adverse consequences such as addiction and overdose. Postoperative pain control can vary depending on patient opioid prescription history and pain expectations. There are limited studies regarding pain and anxiety levels following orthopedic foot and ankle trauma surgery, with a lack of formal guidelines in prescribing opioid medications to this patient population. The overall purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of postoperative pain and anxiety in patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle trauma surgery. This study additionally sought to identify any risk factors that may predispose a patient to increased postoperative pain and anxiety, resulting in a potentially increased pain medication requirement. Methods: A subanalysis of 50 patients from a prospective, observational study was performed, examining adult patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle trauma surgery performed by trauma fellowship-trained senior investigators. Patients were enrolled and given pertinent reference materials including access to an automated texting survey platform to collect data regarding their postoperative pain, anxiety, and opioid medication use. Patients were stratified by procedure type (irrigation &amp; debridement/hardware removal, foot/syndesmosis ORIF, ankle ORIF, pilon ORIF) and by receiving perioperative regional anesthetic block versus local anesthetic. Pain and anxiety were measured with the Numeric Rating Scale for Pain (scale of 1-10) and the Visual Facial Anxiety Scale (scale of 1-5), respectively. The primary outcome measured was the number of days on average for a patient to discontinue opioid medication. Secondary endpoints consisted of pain level &lt; 4, anxiety level &lt; 2, patient-specific and surgery-related factors that may affect these variables. Results: Postoperatively, it took an average of 9.6 days until opioids were discontinued, 8.2 days for pain to subside below 4, and 6.6 days until anxiety reduced under 2. Foot/syndesmosis ORIF and older age were associated with prolonged pain medication use (p&lt;0.05). Drug use and older age limited the chance of obtaining a pain score under 4 (p&lt;0.05). Psychiatric history and older age decreased the odds of obtaining an anxiety score under 2 (p&lt;0.05). White race improved the chance of obtaining an anxiety score under 2 and tapering off pain medications (p&lt;0.05). When stratified by procedure type or analgesic adjuvants (regional block vs local), there were no significant differences in pain and anxiety scores. Conclusion: Our study shows that regardless of procedure type or analgesic adjuvant used, it takes approximately eight days for postoperative pain levels to decrease to 4 out of 10 and six days for anxiety levels to decrease to 2 out of 5, with patients requiring opioid pain medications for an average of 10 days. Risk factors such as older age, prior drug use, and psychiatric history increased postoperative pain, anxiety, and use of opioid pain medications. This data may be utilized by orthopedic surgeons in providing safe, effective, and evidence-based pain management prescribing practices in anticipating postoperative pain and anxiety.

Improving Postoperative Pain Score Among Charcot Marie Tooth Reconstructive Surgery Receiving Ambulatory Nerve Infusion Therapy

<h3>Background Information</h3> As the practice in outpatient foot and ankle surgeries increases, more painful and invasive procedures are being performed. One such procedure, Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) reconstructive surgery, has proven to cause severe pain well beyond the 24-hour period postoperatively. Use of continuous local anesthetic-based peripheral regional analgesic techniques for patient undergoing surgical procedures is preferred where postoperative pain is likely to be more prolonged. Furthermore, there has been a rapid rise in use of ambulatory nerve infusion therapy (AMBIT) for orthopedic surgeries and may prove to be effective for more invasive CMT surgery. <h3>Objectives of Project</h3> To improve postoperative pain scores for CMT reconstructive surgery patients receiving the ambulatory nerve infusion therapy. <h3>Process of Implementation</h3> The Pavilion Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) was chosen to initiate the use of AMBIT from November 2020 to August 2021. Regional Anesthesia team coordinated the initial process for appropriate implementation of this device. Upon approval, Regional Anesthesia, Pharmacy, Informatics, and PACU nursing team collaborated and prepared a protocol for this device to be implemented. Educational in-services were provided to all PACU, emergency room, and inpatient nurses to ensure proper nursing and patient education and safety. Test of change was implemented with appropriate patient selection guidelines. Patients who received the AMBIT pump therapy were evaluated after 72 hours of surgery. <h3>Statement of Successful Practice</h3> The implementation of the ambulatory nerve infusion therapy for CMT patients showed significant improvement in postoperative pain for 72 hours postoperatively. Pre-implementation pain scores average in the severe range. Post implementation pain scores average in the mild to moderate range. <h3>Implications for Advancing the Practice of Perianesthesia Nursing</h3> A multi-disciplinary test of change created an effective workflow for implementing peripheral nerve catheters for a novel and invasive procedure. Furthermore, preliminary results proved this ambulatory nerve infusion therapy improves postoperative pain for CMT reconstructive surgery well beyond the 24-hr period after discharge. Future studies should examine the effectiveness of postoperative pain management using AMBIT pump therapy for other procedures, as well as compared to other conventional treatments.

Popliteal Nerve Catheters for Perioperative Pain Control in Charcot-Marie-Tooth Patients

Category:Hindfoot; OtherIntroduction/Purpose:The underlying neuropathy of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease often makes postoperative pain control difficult. Previous institutional regimens for outpatient foot and ankle surgery in this population included preoperative single-shot regional nerve blocks and oral narcotic analgesics, but still resulted in unplanned visits for uncontrolled pain, especially after block effects abated. Longer duration of regional anesthesia effects were desired to manage pain and reduce opioid intake. We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided placement of popliteal nerve catheters in CMT patients undergoing foot deformity correction surgery.Methods:Twelve CMT patients, average 28 (range 13-53) years old, undergoing reconstructive surgery by a single foot and ankle attending surgeon were consented for preoperative ultrasound-guided popliteal catheters and single-shot adductor canal blocks. Patients were separately consented for enrollment in this study and follow-up questionnaires as per Institutional Review Board protocol. Seven patients underwent joint sparing reconstruction and 5 patients had subtalar fusion. Patients were discharged on postoperative day (POD) 0. Popliteal catheters were maintained, providing continuous infusion and patient-controlled bolus doses until POD3, and then self-discontinued. Oral oxycodone 5 mg (#60-80 pills) was prescribed as needed for breakthrough pain.Daily visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores were collected by phone. Patient satisfaction (0-10) was surveyed on POD5. A pill count for opioid consumption occurred at the surgeon's office on POD14. Five-point sensory testing using a 10g Semmes- Weinstein monofilament was performed preoperatively and on POD14.Results:All patients tolerated the catheters well. There were no complications related to infection or catheter malfunction requiring replacement. Four of the twelve patients had pre-existing sensory deficits involving at least two areas on the five-point monofilament test (Table 1). Postoperative testing showed these deficits were unchanged and there were no instances of new sensory deficits. Postoperative VAS pain scores were typically low with the median value (interquartile range IQR) 3.7 (1.5 - 5.75) on POD1, 3.2 (1.75 - 4.25) on POD2, and 2.5 (1 - 3.5) on POD3 (Figure 1). At POD14, VAS pain was 1 (0.75-1). Patients consumed an average total of 25 oxycodone pills (IQR 9-42) over 2 weeks, less than half the prescribed number. Patient satisfaction was high with the mean (standard deviation) score of 9.1 (1.6). All patients reported they would choose to have a nerve catheter again for a similar surgery.Conclusion:Regional anesthesia using ultrasound-guided popliteal catheters was effective for pain control in this series of CMT patients undergoing deformity correction. Opioid consumption was reduced from historical levels and no patients required emergency treatment for uncontrolled pain. These catheters provided three days of local anesthetic infusion. No new sensory deficits were detected and patients with underlying preoperative sensory deficits remained unchanged. Patients were highly satisfied. This small study group provides preliminary evidence supporting nerve catheter usage in CMT patients. Utilizing ultrasound guidance to minimize nerve injury, nerve catheters may allow safe and successful outpatient correction of CMT foot deformity.

Efficacy of regional anesthesia using ankle block in ankle and foot surgeries: a systematic review.

Ankle blocks are commonly used as surgical anesthetics and for postoperative analgesia during foot surgeries. It is chiefly an infiltration block which utilizes a localized anesthetic approach for providing surgical anaesthesia for a variety of foot procedures. Thus, in this systematic review, we focus primarily on the use, effectiveness, success and failures of regional ankle blocks in outpatient surgeries and hereby compare them with other anesthetic techniques and agents commonly used. Literature search was carried out using PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Library for the studies existing till April 2021. Search was conducted by two independent reviewers separately keeping in view the structured format of the review. Data were thoroughly read and were extracted manually into a structured data extraction form. After going through the databases, 252 relevant articles were identified as per the search strategy. Among those 99 duplicate records were taken away. Among the remaining one hundred fifty-three records, one hundred thirty-eight records were excluded majorly going through their titles and abstracts. Next matching our inclusion criteria and going through the full texts, fifteen studies were excluded. Lastly, after excluding the reviews and case studies we included relevant 11 studies that compared the efficacy of ankle block in outpatient foot and ankle surgery in the present analysis. Seven studies used anatomic landmark guided (ALG) approach, three studies used ultrasound guided (USG) approach, while one study included both approaches. The results showed a significantly lower VAS score postoperatively at 24 hrs. It was observed that in general, immediately after surgery the VAS pain scores are low due to the continued analgesic effect provided by the ankle block. 0.25%-0.5% bupivacaine was the most common single long-acting local anesthetics used. Patient satisfaction ranged from 66%-95.8%. Major complications included block failure and consequent requirement of general anesthesia and few cases of transient nerve injuries. Therefore, this systematic review supports the fact that ankle block has advantages like excellent success rates with minimal side effects, high levels of patient satisfaction and decreased hospital expenses. Thus, it proves to be a safe and highly effective means of regional anesthesia for the majority of foot and ankle surgeries in outpatient settings.

Pain Tolerance Self-Assessment vs Objective Pressure Sensitivity: Do Patients Accurately Estimate Their Own Pain Tolerance?

Category:Basic Sciences/Biologics; OtherIntroduction/Purpose:Effective pain treatment remains elusive in the orthopedic foot and ankle practice as evidenced by the variable experience of pain, post-operative or otherwise. Intrinsic pain tolerance is likely contributing to this variability in the patient's experience of pain. Pressure dolorimetry is a validated, objective measure to assess pressure sensitivity and is correlated with pain tolerance. No previous study in the orthopedic foot and ankle literature has attempted to correlate objective versus subjective pain tolerance. General mental health is associated with central pain sensitization and may also affect pain tolerance. Our hypothesis was that subjective self-assessment of pain tolerance would be correlated with objective dolorimetry. We hypothesized that mental patient-reported outcome scores would also be correlated to objective pain tolerance.Methods:Prospectively-collected patient-reported outcome scores (PROMIS), dolorimetry measurements, and survey data of subjective reported pain tolerance were collected pre-operatively on 50 consecutive patients by two surgeons in an urban orthopedic foot and ankle practice. Patients were included if they had normal sensation on the plantar foot and no prior surgery or plantar heel source of pain. Each patient underwent objective measurement of their ability to withstand pressure applied to the plantar heel causing 5/10 pain using a hand-held dolorimeter with digital pressure measurement display. Each patient was administered a preoperative battery of PROMIS physical function (PF), pain interference (PI), and mood/depression (M) instruments, and a separate survey where they scaled their subjective tolerance to pain and discomfort. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing students t-test for continuous variables. Correlations were evaluated with Pearson's R coefficient. Data are reported as means (+/- standard deviation) unless otherwise noted.Results:50 patients received hand-held dolorimetry measurements, completed the pain tolerance survey, and completed PROMIS measures. Dolorimetry data from the plantar heel was normally distributed with mean force 24 N/cm2 (+/-10) to reflect a 5/10 pain experienced by the patient. Patients were shown to estimate their pain threshold with mean subjective pain threshold 6.8/10 (+/-2) regardless of objective pain data or PROMIS scores. The mean PROMIS scores of the sample were PF (41+/-8), PI (60+/-7), and M (49+/-9) reflecting a sample with decreased physical function and increased pain which could be expected in an outpatient foot and ankle clinic. There was a negative correlation of R=(-0.432) regarding PROMIS-M with dolorimetry objective pain tolerance which was statistically significant (p<-0.05). Patients had more features of depression/anxiety (PROMIS-M score >60) had a statistically significant decrease in pain threshold to 18+/-8 N/cm2 compared to 30 +/- 9 N/cm2 for those who were less depressed (p<0.01)).Conclusion:Subjective self assessment of pain tolerance is not well correlated to objective pain threshold data or other markers of mental health, and should not influence medical decision-making. Features of depression on PROMIS-M are associated with an objectively lower pain threshold which is in agreement with prior findings of central pain sensitization in patients with depression and anxiety in other studies. Future work is required to correlate dolorimetry data with post-operative medication utilization, and patient-reported outcome measures after surgery.

Safety and Efficacy of Postoperative Indwelling Popliteal Nerve Catheters for Outpatient Charcot-Marie-Tooth Surgery.

Outpatient surgical deformity correction for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is limited by effective postoperative pain control. Our previous institutional protocol for foot and ankle surgery in this population included preoperative single-injection nerve blocks, but patients often experienced uncontrolled pain when the block wore off postoperative day 0 or 1, resulting in high opioid requirements and unplanned emergency department visits. The use of ultrasonography-guided continuous nerve catheters in CMT patients has not previously been studied. We aimed to prospectively investigate the safety and efficacy of ultrasonography-guided indwelling popliteal catheters in CMT patients undergoing outpatient foot deformity correction surgery. Twenty CMT patients, average 28 (range 13-53) years old, undergoing reconstructive surgery by a single foot and ankle attending surgeon were consented for preoperative ultrasonography-guided popliteal catheters. This series included 24 total outpatient procedures; 4 were staged bilateral. Indwelling popliteal catheters were maintained on discharge, providing continuous infusion until postoperative day (POD) 3, and then self-discontinued. Patients were prescribed oxycodone 5 mg (60-80 pills) as needed for breakthrough pain. Outcomes collected included daily pain scores (0-10), an opioid pill count on POD 14, and patient satisfaction ratings. Neurologic evaluation by 5-point 10g Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing was performed preoperatively and on POD 14. There were no observed catheter-site infections or hematomas. Nine of the patients had pre-existing sensory deficits involving at least 2 areas on the 5-point monofilament test. Postoperative testing showed these deficits were unchanged and there were no instances of new sensory deficits. Postoperative pain scores were typically low, with median values (interquartile ranges [IQRs]) of 3.5 (2.0-5.0) on POD 1, 2.5 (2.0-5.0) on POD 2, and 2.5 (1.0-3.75) on POD 3. At POD 14, pain was 1.0 (0-1.0). Patients consumed a median of 25 oxycodone pills (IQR 8-43) over 2 weeks, less than half the prescribed number. Patient satisfaction was high. All patients reported they would choose to have a nerve catheter again for a similar surgery. This cases series demonstrated that regional anesthesia using ultrasonography-guided indwelling popliteal catheters was safe and effective for pain control in CMT patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle surgery. Opioid consumption was comparable to published rates following major bony procedures, and no patients required emergent treatment or hospital admission for uncontrolled pain. No new sensory deficits were detected and patients with underlying sensory deficits remained unchanged. Patients were highly satisfied. Level IV, case series.

Clinical practice of diabetic foot, nephropathy, and retinopathy in Japan: cross-sectional study using local and nationwide questionnaire surveys.

It is a reality that there are still many diabetic subjects who suffer from serious complications, but there are few statistics of severe eye complications such as vitrectomy or blindness and diabetic foot including amputations in Japan. To determine the status of medical examination, consultation, and the actual practice for diabetic foot, retinopathy, and nephropathy, we conducted two surveys on diabetic subjects under treatment by the local physicians in Asahikawa area or in the nationwide diabetes-specialized facilities, respectively. A total of 3649 diabetic subjects responded to the questionnaire from 35 clinics/hospitals in Asahikawa area. Sixty-five percent of the subjects had a routine eye examination at least once a year, but 29% of them interrupted or never attended eye examination. Besides, only 37.2% of subjects had received ankle-brachial index (ABI) test as a useful screening for diabetic foot. The nationwide survey found that 1,273,103 diabetic subjects were undergoing treatment in 472 diabetes-specialized facilities. There, lower extremity amputations accounted for 0.23% and revascularization accounted for 0.64% of the subjects. However, outpatient foot care and dialysis preventive outpatient services were offered only in 77.3% and 66.5% of the facilities, respectively. Furthermore, we found a lower availability of ophthalmologic treatments even in some of the specialized facilities. We considered that interruption and non-attendance of eye examinations were a barrier to prevent severe retinopathy. Our results also suggested that some of the specialized facilities may be inadequate in their efforts to detect and prevent these complications.

Predictors of Outcomes of Foot Ulcers among Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in an Outpatient Foot Clinic.

ObjectivesTo determine the risk factors for recurrence and persistence of non-healing foot ulcers resulting in minor and major amputations.MethodologyThis was an ambispective cohort analysis of persons with diabetic foot ulcers consulting at the diabetic foot clinic of East Avenue Medical Center. Data were analyzed through multiple logistic regression.ResultTwo hundred sixteen patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and diabetic foot ulcers were included in the analysis; 50.9% were males and the mean age of the cohort was 55.8 ± 9.9 years. Outcomes of foot ulcers were: healed 44.5% (healed with no recurrence 30%, healed but with recurrence 14.5%) and not healed 55.5% (major amputation 11%, minor amputation, 21.5%, and persistently non-healing 23%). Multivariate logistic regression showed the following were independent risk factors for persistent non-healing ulcer: osteomyelitis (OR 66.5; CI 19.7, 217.8), smoking (OR 28.9; CI 6.8, 129.3, and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (OR 56.8; CI 2.5, 877.2). Independent risk factors for ulcer recurrence were: plantar location of ulcer (OR 16.8; CI 6.8, 89.4), presence of more than one ulcer (OR 7.8; CI 3.6,31.6), and neuropathy (OR 11.2; CI 7.2, 19.9). For healed foot ulcers, mean healing time was 14 ± 3 weeks. Healing time was significantly reduced from 12 weeks to 4.5 weeks (p<0.001) if patients consulted earlier (within 4 weeks from sustaining an ulcer).ConclusionOnly half (55%) of patients with diabetic foot ulcers consulting in a dedicated outpatient foot clinic had an adverse outcome of foot ulcers (major amputation 11%, minor amputation, 21.5%, and persistently non-healing ulcer 23%) while a small portion (14.5%) of patients had recurrent foot ulcers. Arterial obstruction, smoking, low hemoglobin, neuropathy, and osteomyelitis increase the likelihood of healing failure while the presence of multiple ulcers, plantar location of ulcers, and neuropathy increase the risk of ulcer recurrence.

Use of tranexamic acid does not influence perioperative outcomes in ambulatory foot and ankle surgery-a prospective triple blinded randomized controlled trial.

TXA is an antifibrinolytic medication widely used to reduce perioperative blood loss, but it has been seldom used during foot and ankle surgery. Our study evaluates the impact of TXA use on blood loss, post-operative pain, peri-operative opioid consumption, and wound healing in ambulatory outpatient foot and ankle procedures. Prospective, triple-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Peri-operative environment of a major academic health centre in New York City. A total of 100 participants who were scheduled for ambulatory foot and ankle surgery with a single surgeon. Patients receive either 10mg/kg TXA (TXA group) or 10ml/kg of normal saline (placebo group) intravenously prior to skin incision. Primary outcome was intra-operative blood loss. Secondary outcomes were peri-operative opioid consumption and wound complications between post-operative days 14 and 21. We found no difference between TXA and placebo groups in terms of intra-operative blood loss, p value 0.71, 95% CI (63.13-19.80). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of post-operative morphine milliequivalents (MME). The incidence of wound complications was 16.3% in the TXA group compared to 15.7% in the placebo group with OR 1.04, p value 0.93, 95% CI (0.32-2.77). No adverse events associated with TXA were reported. The use of TXA during foot and ankle surgery was not associated with any benefits in perioperative outcomes in our outpatient ambulatory surgical population. Considering potential risks, we do not support the routine use of TXA in this surgical model.

The Impact of Hospitalization for Diabetic Foot Infection on Health-Related Quality of Life: Utilizing PROMIS

Diabetic foot infections (DFI) are an increasingly common cause of hospitalizations. Once hospitalized with DFI, many patients require some level of amputation, often undergoing multiple operations. With increasing importance on patient-centered metrics, self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) tools have been developed. This prospective cohort study aimed assessed the impact of DFI on HRQOL. Two hundred twenty-four patients completed the 29-item Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) and 12-Item Short Form (SF-12) survey. Secondary outcomes using the Foot and Ankle Ability Measures survey were obtained and included in the analysis. The study group was comprised of hospitalized patients with DFIs (n = 120), and the control group was comprised of patients with diabetes who were evaluated for routine outpatient foot care (n = 104); diabetic foot screening, wound care, onychomycosis, and/or callosities. Using this cohort, a propensity score-matched sample of hospitalized patients with DFI (n = 35) and control group patients (n = 35) was created for comparative analysis. The 2-independent sample t test was used to test for group differences on each of the PROMIS subscale outcomes. Using PROMIS, we found that hospitalized patients with DFI reported significantly worse HRQOL in 6 of 7 subscales (physical function, anxiety, depression, fatigue, social role, pain intensity; p value range: .0001-.02) compared to outpatients with diabetes evaluated for routine foot care. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups on sleep disturbance (p = .22). Patients hospitalized for DFI report lower HRQOL compared to patients with diabetes receiving routine outpatient foot care.

The Influence of Obesity on Hospital Admission After Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery

We examined the association of body mass index (BMI) with sociodemographic data, medical comorbidities and hospital admission following ambulatory foot and ankle surgery. We conducted an analysis utilizing data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2007 to 2016. Adult patients who underwent ankle surgery defined as ankle arthrodesis, ankle open reduction and internal fixation, and Achilles tendon repair in the outpatient setting. We examined 6 BMI ranges: <20 kg/m2 underweight, ≥20 to <25 kg/m2 normal weight, ≥25 to <30 kg/m2 overweight, ≥30 to <40 kg/m2 obese, ≥40 kg/m2to <50 kg/m2 severely obese, and ≥50 kg/m2 extremely obese. The primary outcome was hospital admission. We performed multivariable logistic regression and reported odds ratios (OR) and their associated 95% confidence interval (CI) and considered a p value of <.05 as statistically significant. Data extraction yielded 13,454 adult patients who underwent ambulatory ankle surgery. We then performed listwise deletion to exclude cases with missing observations. After excluding 5.4% of the data, the final study population included 12,729 patients. The overall rate of hospital admission was in the population was 18.6% (2,377/12,729). The overall rate of postoperative complications was 0.03% (4/12,729). We found no significant association of BMI with hospital admission following multivariable logistic regression. We recommend that BMI alone should not be solely used to exclude patients from having ankle surgery performed in an outpatient setting, especially since this patient group makes up a significant proportion of orthopedic surgery.

Short-term outcomes of treatment of active stage of Charcot foot in outpatient setting

Background: Treatment options in patients with an acute Charcot foot is not well standardized and still challenging.Aims: To evaluate the results of the non-operative treatment of patients with active stage of diabetic charcot arthropathy in outpatient foot clinic and to identify factors influenced on treatment results.Materials and methods: Medical files of 141 patients with unilateral ulcer-free active charcot arthropathy were reviewed. 78 patients agreed for treatment (total contact cast or walker), 63 patients refused of treatment (follow-up only). The time of resolution of the acute stage, severity of final deformities and foot-related complications were evaluated. Refusers were asked about the cause of their decision.Results: Mean delay of the diagnosis was 3,2±2,8 months. Main causes of the refuse were: mistrust to doctor - 38%, problems with employment - 33%, home/family problems - 18%, medical reasons - 11%. Median healing times (months) in the treatment group vs controls: 9 (6 - 19) 15 (13 - 25) (p=0,001) and progression of the initial deformity: 14% and 35%, respectively (p=0,01). Foot-related complications: 17,5% in the treatment group and in 55,6% of controls (including 6 amputations) (p=0,001). Frequency of breaking the cast/walker - 32%/16,6%. Foot lesions due to cast/walker: 13,6%/41,7% (p&lt;0,01). Median healing times (months) with walkers - 13 (11 - 19), with casts - 9 (6 - 15) months (р=0,02). The use of crutches shortened healing time.Conclusions: The significant delay of diagnosis was revealed. The refuse rate in our cohort was high and main causes of the refuse were social and psychological. Neglect of treatment leads to high frequency and severity of foot-related complications. We noticed high rate of breaking of walkers and casts and device-related foot lesions. Total contact casts were more effective and safe compared with walkers.

Self-Reported Pain Tolerance and Opioid Pain Medication Use After Foot and Ankle Surgery.

Orthopaedic surgeons must consider their postoperative pain management strategies to minimize harm from prescription opioid use. Patients often reference their pain threshold to predict how they will tolerate surgical pain and the need for postoperative analgesia, but the direct relationship between these factors has not yet been studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between patients' self-reported pain tolerance and prescription opioid usage after foot and ankle surgery. This is a retrospective follow-up of a prospective cohort study of adult patients who underwent outpatient foot and ankle surgeries. Patient and procedural demographics, opioid pills dispensed, and opioid pills consumed by the first postoperative visit were obtained. Patients were contacted at a mean of 13.1 ± 4.0 months postoperatively and asked to respond to the qualitative statement "Pain doesn't bother me as much as it does most people." Patients were also asked their quantitative pain threshold (0-100), with 0 being "very pain intolerant" and 100 being a "very high pain tolerance," as well other questions regarding past surgical and narcotic consumption history. Of the 700 survey respondents, the average age was 50.9 years and 34.7% were male. Bivariate analysis determined that predictors of lower postoperative opioid consumption included higher quantitative (P = .047) and qualitative (P = .005) pain tolerance scores. Multivariate analysis for the entire cohort demonstrated that higher qualitative pain threshold was associated with lower postoperative opioid consumption (P = .005) but this did not meet statistical significance as an independent predictor of the top quartile of pill consumers. Assessment of both qualitative and quantitative score of patients' pain threshold prior to surgery may assist the surgeon in tailoring postoperative pain control. Additionally, asking this question can create an opportunity for educating patients regarding responsible utilization of narcotic medication. Level III.

The Use of Long Acting Opioids to Prevent Rebound Pain Following Peripheral Nerve Blocks for Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery

Category:Ankle; BunionIntroduction/Purpose:Peripheral nerve blocks have become an integral part of orthopedic surgery to assist with postoperative pain. However, 40% of patients who undergo a peripheral nerve block will experience rebound pain, which in turn, long-acting narcotics may be able to block. Unfortunately, this rebound pain can cancel out the potential benefits of decreased opioid medication use. Therefore, this study seeks to compare the difference in patient reported pain scores in those patients whom received long-acting opioid pain medication and those who did not.Methods:This is a retrospective review of patient-reported pain scores for 96 patients who underwent a peripheral nerve block for outpatient foot and ankle surgery. 48 patients either received three days of long-acting opioids or did not. Each patient was asked to fill out and return a pain diary as well as fill out a pain catastrophizing survey (PCS) at their postoperative appointment. The pain diary discussed their Visual Analogue Scale pain scores, amount of pain medication, and time they took the medicine.This data was then collected and compared via paired student t-tests for evaluation of significance.Results:Pain diaries were completed by 69 patients (72%). There were no significant differences between those comorbidities, types of procedures, age, or BMI between the groups. Mean postoperative pain scores did not differ between patients that did and did not receive postoperative extended release opioid medications (p = 0.226). Mean opioid consumption did not differ between groups (p = 0.945). There were no correlations between daily reported pain scores or the postoperative day with the highest pain score for those who received long acting opioid pain medication versus those who did not (r=0.336, p=0.550).Conclusion:Rebound pain is a difficult potential side effect of peripheral nerve blocks that currently does not have a preventative measure. This study was an attempted effort to help eliminate rebound pain, but there did not appear to be a significant benefit to adding long-acting opioid pain medication in addition to the peripheral nerve block and short-acting pain medication