Outpatient Foot Research Articles

The Safety of Foot and Ankle Surgical Procedures at an Ambulatory Surgery Center

Category:Ankle; Bunion; Hindfoot; Lesser Toes; Midfoot/ForefootIntroduction/Purpose:There is a growing trend to perform surgical procedures at freestanding ambulatory surgical centers. No literature exists evaluating the rate of adverse events and overall safety of foot and ankle outpatient surgeries at a freestanding ambulatory surgery center (ASC).Methods:A retrospective review of all foot and ankle cases performed over a two year period at a single freestanding ASC. A total of 313 cases were performed. Adverse events are state-reported events that cause harm or lead to additional treatment. Using state-reported adverse events criteria and previous literature from hand and upper-extremity cases, we categorized our adverse events into seven categories: 1) infection requiring intravenous abx or return to the operating room, 2) postoperative transfer to a hospital, 3) wrong-site surgery, 4) retention of a foreign object, 5) postoperative symptomatic thromboembolism (DVT), 6) medication error, and 7) bleeding complications.Results:The overall rate of adverse events was 3.5% with 11 events identified over the two year period. There were a total of 10 infections and 1 symptomatic DVT. There were no cases that resulted in transfer to a hospital, hospital admission after discharge, medication error, bleeding complications, wrong-site procedures, or retained foreign bodies.Conclusion:Outpatient foot and ankle procedures are not without complications, but the overall rate of complications postoperatively is farly low (3.5%). Overall, foot and ankle surgeries can be performed safely in an outpatient setting at an ASC.

Prospective Evaluation of Opioid Consumption in Multimodal Analgesia Following Isolated Hallux Valgus Correction or First MTP Joint Arthrodesis

Category:Other; Bunion; Midfoot/ForefootIntroduction/Purpose:There is no standard guideline for prescription opioids for postoperative pain management following outpatient foot and ankle surgery. Multiple previous studies demonstrated that opioids were overprescribed. The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate opioid consumption using multimodal analgesia regimen after two of the most common forefoot surgeries: isolated hallux valgus correction or 1st metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint arthrodesis.Methods:We prospectively investigated opioid prescription and consumption of total 21 patients who underwent isolated hallux valgus correction with distal soft tissue procedure and proximal first metatarsal crescentic osteotomy or 1st MTP joint arthrodesis. Postoperative pain was managed using multimodal analgesia including oxycodone, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and regional ankle block. Patients were instructed to take 5mg of oxycodone every 4 hours as needed, and 600 mg of ibuprofen as well as 1,000 mg of acetaminophen every 8 hours regularly. The number of pills patients consumed for oxycodone was recorded at postoperative follow-up at 1-week, 2-week, 4-week, 8-week, and 12-week. Subgroup analysis was performed to evaluate opioid consumption according to the prescription type: Only oxycodone was prescribed in group A while oxycodone as well as prescription strength ibuprofen and acetaminophen were prescribed in group B. Another subgroup analysis in opioid consumption was performed based on the quantity of opioid prescription and procedure type.Results:The overall mean opioid consumption in 12 weeks of the postoperative period was 16.2 pills per patient with an average of 37.3 pills prescribed. Lower opioid consumption was noted in group B when prescription ibuprofen and acetaminophen were prescribed compared to group A when patients took over-the-counter (OTC) ibuprofen and acetaminophen: 9.0 pills vs 24.1 pills, respectively (P = 0.036). There was a trend showing higher opioid consumption in patients prescribed greater than 30 pills of oxycodone compared to less than or equal to 30 pills: 22.0 pills vs 9.8 pills, respectively (P = 0.099). No significant difference was found in opioid consumption according to the procedure type: 15.8 pills in hallux valgus correction vs 16.5 pills in 1st MTP joint arthrodesis (P = 0.750).Conclusion:This study showed that on the average, patients took 16.2 pills out of 37.3 pills of the prescribed oxycodone after isolated hallux valgus correction or 1st MTP joint arthrodesis using our multimodal analgesia regimen. Patients who were prescribed prescription strength ibuprofen and acetaminophen consumed opioid significantly less than those who took the OTC strength. No significant difference was noted in opioid consumption between isolated hallux valgus correction and 1st MTP joint arthrodesis.

The safety of foot and ankle procedures at an ambulatory surgery center

BackgroundThis study evaluates the safety of foot and ankle outpatient surgeries at a freestanding ambulatory surgery centers. MethodsA total of 1352 cases were evaluated for adverse events in a retrospective review of all foot and ankle cases performed over a 5-year period at a single center. ResultsThe rate of adverse events was 2.3%, with 31 identified over the 5-year period (23 infections, 5 symptomatic thromboembolisms, 3 postoperative hospital transfers). DiscussionThe rate of postoperative adverse events in outpatient foot and ankle procedures is low. These surgeries can be performed safely in an outpatient setting at an ASC. Level of evidenceLevel IV, Case Series.

A retrospective analysis of the microbiology of diabetic foot infections at a Scottish tertiary hospital

BackgroundThis study represents the first Scottish retrospective analysis of the microbiology of diabetic foot infections (DFIs). The aims were to compare the microbiological profile of DFIs treated at a Scottish tertiary hospital to that in the literature, gather data regarding antimicrobial resistance and investigate potential trends between the microbiological results and nature or site of the clinical sample taken and age or gender of the patients.MethodsA retrospective analysis of wound microbiology results was performed, data were obtained from one multidisciplinary outpatient foot clinic during the 12 months of the year 2017. Seventy-three patients and 200 microbiological investigations were included. In cases of soft tissue infection, the deepest part of a cleansed and debrided wound was sampled. In cases of osteomyelitis a bone biopsy was obtained. Factors influencing the pattern of microbial growth or prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus were investigated.ResultsOf the 200 microbiological investigations, 62% were culture positive, of which 37.9% were polymicrobial and 62.1% monomicrobial. Among the monomicrobial results (n = 77), most were Gram positive isolates (96.1%) and the most frequently isolated bacteria was S. aureus (84.4%). No methicillin-resistant S. aureus was reported. The prevalence of S. aureus in DFIs was associated with increasing age (p = 0.021), but no evidence of association with gender, anatomical sample site or sample material was found.ConclusionThe microbiological profile of DFIs in Scotland resembles that reported elsewhere in the UK. In this context, Gram positive organisms, primarily S. aureus, are most frequently isolated from DFIs. The S. aureus isolates identified were largely susceptible to antibiotic therapy. An association between increasing patient age and the prevalence of S. aureus in DFIs was observed.

The efficacy and safety of continuous versus single-injection popliteal sciatic nerve block in outpatient foot and ankle surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundContinuous popliteal sciatic nerve block (CPSNB) has been performed in outpatient foot and ankle surgery as a regional anesthesia method to relieve postoperative pain. Its efficacy as well as safety is yet to be established. There are two purposes of this study: (1) to validate the efficacy of CPSNB with regards to better pain relief and reduced analgesics consumption; (2) to assess the safety of CPSNB.MethodsWe performed a comprehensive literature review on Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PubMed and Embase and only included randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Five RCTs that compared the efficacy and safety of CPSNB with the single-injection popliteal sciatic nerve block group were included. The primary outcome parameters were visual analog scale (VAS) scores at postoperative 24, 48 and 72 h. The secondary outcome parameters were amount of oral analgesics consumed, overall patient satisfaction and need of admission after surgery. A sensitivity analysis was performed to explore the consistency of the results.ResultsIn comparison with the single-injection group, CPSNB was associated with a lower VAS score at postoperative 24 and 48 h (p < 0.05). There were no neuropathic symptoms or infection events after the nerve block. However, there were several minor complications associated with the pump and catheter system, with drug leakage being the most common complication (N = 26 of 187, 13.9%).ConclusionCPSNB is an effective method in pain management for outpatient foot and ankle surgery. Both methods appear to be safe as none of the patients experienced neuropathic symptoms or infection. Further studies with larger sample size are needed to compare the risk of major complications between the two methods.Level of evidenceI; meta-analysis.

Postoperative Oral Antibiotics in Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery: Are We Affecting Postoperative Infections or Wound Healing Complications?

Category:InfectionIntroduction/Purpose:Postoperative infections after foot and ankle surgery can cause devastating outcomes for patients. Studies of postoperative infection rates in outpatient foot and ankle surgery range from 0.5-6.5%, with increasing numbers found in diabetic patient populations. The use of perioperative antibiotics in the prevention of postoperative infection in outpatient surgery is a topic that has often been discussed yet there remains considerable controversy. The authors hypothesize that there is no difference in postoperative infection rate or wound healing complications in patients who received postoperative oral antibiotics versus those that did not. Additionally, the authors sought to identify patient characteristics associated with postoperative infections or wound complications.Methods:Retrospective chart review of 649 elective outpatient foot and/or ankle surgery cases over a 2-year period performed by two fellowship trained foot and ankle surgeons at an academic medical center ambulatory surgical unit. All cases were included with at least one follow-up visit and no evidence of chronic wounds or infection. Those cases that did not have adequate follow up or if postoperative antibiotic treatment could not be determined were subsequently excluded. Analysis evaluated patients that received postoperative oral antibiotics (PAB) and those that did not receive postoperative oral antibiotics (NAB) to identify whether a difference in infection rate or wound healing complication were present. Patient demographics, medical comorbidities, BMI, smoking status, and tourniquet time were analyzed to identify contributing factors or comorbidities that may be more prevalent in those that developed postoperative infections in the PAB and NAB groups.Results:633 operative cases were included in the study. The average age of patients in the PAB group and NAB group was equal (age 45 ± 17). The number of infections in PAB was 6, while the number of infections in NAB was 10 (3% vs. 2%, p = 0.60). The number of deep versus superficial infections and wound complications between the two groups was not statistically significant. Patients that developed infections versus those that did not were older (average age 55 vs. 45, p = 0.02), demonstrated a higher prevalence of hypertension (44% vs. 17%, p = 0.01), and a history of neoplasm (19% vs. 2%, p < 0.01). No significant difference was found between groups based on BMI, diabetes, tourniquet time, or smoking status.Conclusion:There are limited studies published on the efficacy of routine postoperative antibiotics in outpatient foot and ankle surgery, despite a majority of surgeons (75%) reporting using postoperative antibiotics.2 The present study suggests there is no benefit to prescribing postoperative oral antibiotics in an outpatient surgery setting. Additionally, older patients, patients with hypertension, and patients with a history of neoplasm made up a larger percentage of patients in the postoperative infection group. BMI, diabetes, tourniquet time and smoking status did not have a significant difference in postoperative infections between the PAB group and NAB group.

Patient Reported Opioid Consumption Following Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery

Category:opioid consumptionIntroduction/Purpose:The expanding opioid crisis has forced orthopedic surgeons to evaluate their prescribing practices, yet there remains limited evidence to guide providers in achieving safe and effective postoperative analgesia. Our goal was to prospectively evaluate opioid consumption following outpatient foot and ankle surgery and determine predictors of increased narcotic usage.Methods:We prospectively enrolled adult patients scheduled for outpatient foot and ankle surgery and conducted phone and in- person interviews postoperatively to determine pain level, number of pills consumed, satisfaction with pain control, and whether other analgesic medication was used. Interviews were performed at four separate time points: 5 days, 10 days, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks following surgery. Additional data collected included age, gender, payer status, education level, preoperative pain level, procedure performed, whether opioid pain medication had been used by the patient in the 12 months preceding surgery, and the amount of narcotic prescribed postoperatively.Results:Complete data was available for 52 patients (median age, 42 years). The median number of opioids prescribed postoperatively was 45 pills (337.5 morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs)). A refill narcotic prescription was provided for 36.5% of patients. The number of opioid pills consumed following surgery ranged from 0 to 120 (median, 40 pills). Forty-six percent of patients had discontinued the use of opioids by post-op day 10 and 86.5% by post-op day 20. Increased pre-operative pain level (p = 0.02) and an increased quantity of pills prescribed at the first prescription (<0.0001) were significantly associated with increased narcotic consumption. Eighteen (39.1%) patients filled a narcotic prescription in the 12 months prior to surgery, however, narcotic use prior to surgery did not significantly increase total opioid consumption.Conclusion:We found that the median number of opioids consumed following outpatient foot and ankle surgery was 40 pills. Nearly 90% of patients had discontinued narcotic use by 20 days postoperatively. Pre-operative pain level and the number of pills provided at the first prescription were predictive of increased narcotic usage.

Opioid Consumption Following Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery: A Prospective Analysis

Category:Prescription PracticesIntroduction/Purpose:Opioid abuse has recently reached the conscience of the US healthcare system and news cycle. This epidemic is in part propagated by surgeon over-prescription for common procedures. The purpose of this study is to examine postoperative opioid use following outpatient foot and ankle surgery in order to potentially guide prescription patterns of postoperative narcotics.Methods:Patients undergoing outpatient foot or ankle surgery, performed by one of four fellowship-trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons from a single institution, were prospectively enrolled from January to November 2018. Subjects were consented to participate in a phone interview within 7 days of their surgery, with subsequent interviews as needed for continued monitoring. Information collected included: age, gender, procedure, smoking status, payor type, analgesic regimen, number of tablets remaining, pain scale, pain control satisfaction, additional analgesic medications taken, reason for stopping opioid medications, and any adverse reactions encountered.Results:A total of 94 subjects were consented to participate. Of these, 11 were lost to follow up and 2 withdrew from the study, leaving 81 (86%) subjects for analysis. The mean (± standard deviation) number of opioid pills prescribed was 52.2 (±16.4; range: 6-80) pills. Subjects were satisfied or somewhat satisfied with their pain control in 91% of cases. On average, 18.4 (±14.9) pills were consumed by subjects, stopping consumption on post-operative day 4.8 (±3.6). There was no statistically significant difference in narcotic medications consumed whether undergoing ankle surgery (16.4, ±13.7) or foot surgery (20.7, ±15.9) (p=0.11). Overall, an average of 34.3 (±19.3) pills remained unconsumed at the completion of narcotic use, equaling a total of 2,706 excessively prescribed pills in the study cohort.Conclusion:There is a substantial excess of opioid pain medication prescribed to patients for outpatient foot and ankle surgeries, with a wide variation in prescription patterns. Based on our institutional data, a prescription of 35 opioid pills should be sufficient for approximately two-thirds of outpatient procedures and 50 pills should be sufficient for approximately 95% of patients regardless of whether the procedure is for the ankle or foot. This quality improvement assessment has influenced physician practice in our group and prospective follow-up analysis after intervention is warranted.

Randomized Study of the Effect of Initial Ropivacaine Dosage during Continuous Popliteal Nerve Blocks on Rebound Pain in Foot and Ankle Surgery

Category:Basic Sciences/Biologics, Anesthesia/Pain ControlIntroduction/Purpose:Rebound pain, the quantifiable difference in pain experienced after nerve block resolution, can be a substantial component of postoperative pain, opioid intake, sleep disturbances, and patient satisfaction. A relatively higher concentration initial local anesthetic bolus may contribute to this phenomenon, as the transition from an entirely numb and painless limb to a partially numb limb may lead to greater perceived pain following block resolution. In contrast, patients experiencing some level of background pain immediately following surgery due to a lower concentration initial bolus may have less perceived pain after block resolution. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of the initial local anesthetic concentration in continuous popliteal nerve blocks on rebound pain and other postoperative variables in foot and ankle surgery.Methods:Following IRB approval, patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle procedures requiring continuous popliteal nerve blocks under the care of a single fellowship-trained foot & ankle surgeon were identified. Subjects were randomized and blinded to either the standard (0.5%) or low-dose (0.2%) initial ropivacaine bolus, both being followed by a continuous 0.2% ropivacaine catheter infusion. From postoperative days 1 to 7, subjects recorded their hourly visual analog scale (VAS) pain level out of 100, perceived pain relief from the block, and satisfaction with pain control, as well as daily narcotic intake and other postoperative side effects, through an electronic survey. Rebound pain was scored according to a published method by subtracting the lowest VAS pain score during the 12 hours prior to the subject’s determination of block resolution from the highest VAS pain score in the 12 hours after resolution. 69 subjects completed the study. Outcomes were compared using Student’s t-tests.Results:Thirty-four subjects received a standard initial 0.5% ropivacaine bolus, while 35 received a 0.2% bolus. Chi-square testing and t-tests revealed no difference in any preoperative patient variables or procedural type/location between groups. Subjects receiving the lower 0.2% ropivacaine bolus had a lower rebound pain score (47.6) than those receiving the standard ropivacaine bolus (51.0), though not significantly (p=.679). The group receiving the lower concentration bolus only reported a higher mean VAS pain at 72 hours following surgery (39.6 vs. 25.7, p=.044) and more pain interference with sleep (p=.015) on postoperative day 5. The groups did not differ significantly (p>.05) on any day in terms of morphine equivalent units (MEUs) consumed, satisfaction with pain control, nausea, constipation, or nerve-related symptoms of tingling, numbness, and hypersensitivity.Conclusion:The utilization of a lower concentration initial local anesthetic bolus in continuous peripheral nerve blocks in foot and ankle surgery did not significantly lower rebound pain, but provided similar postoperative pain control as a standard local anesthestic bolus concentration. Further investigation with larger cohorts is needed to further optimize local anesthetic concentration in continuous nerve blocks in order to limit postoperative pain, side effects, and opioid intake following foot and ankle surgery.

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

Category:Opioid/Pain ManagementIntroduction/Purpose:As one of the top prescribing groups of opioid pain medication, orthopaedic surgeons must tailor post- surgical pain control to minimize the potential for prescription opioid abuse. Patients generate an idea of their own pain threshold relative to others’ based on how they tolerate similar painful experiences, but current literature suggests that there is not a significant correlation between an individual’s perceived pain threshold and their actual tolerance for pain stimulus. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between a patient’s self-reported pain tolerance and their actual prescription opioid medication usage after foot and ankle surgery.Methods:This is a retrospective follow-up of a prospective cohort study of adult patients that underwent outpatient foot and ankle surgeries performed by 5 fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons at a multispecialty orthopaedic practice over a one-year period. Number of opioid pills dispensed, pills consumed at the first postoperative visit, patient demographic data, and procedural data were obtained. Patients were contacted via email or telephone postoperatively and asked to respond to the qualitative statement “Pain doesn’t bother me as much as it does most people” by choosing “strongly disagree”, “disagree”, “neither”, “agree” or “strongly agree”. Patients also scored their quantitative pain threshold on a scale of 0-100 with 0 being “very pain intolerant” and 100 a “very high pain tolerance” and rated their expectations of postoperative pain and satisfaction with pain management on five-point Likert scales. Data was analyzed using various tests, including Spearman’s correlations and bivariate and multivariate analyses.Results:Of 700 patients responding, the average age was 50.8 years and 34.7% were male. There was a significant, weakly negative (p=0.003, r=-.112) correlation between a higher qualitative assessment of pain threshold and number of pills consumed; patients with higher perceived pain thresholds took fewer opioid pills after surgery. Logistic bivariate regression predicting the top 25% of opioid pill consumers showed that higher qualitative assessment of pain threshold was negatively predictive of being among the top 25% of opioid pill consumers (OR 0.839, p=0.041). Multivariate analyses among the total cohort demonstrated a significant, negative association (p=0.005) between qualitative assessment of pain threshold and opioid pill consumption, while past narcotic usage time positively predicted the top 25% of opioid pill consumers (OR 1.224, p=.006).Conclusion:Prediction of patients’ postoperative narcotic requirement is complex and dependent on many patient-derived and systemic factors, but our study has shown that there is a negative association between patients’ self-reported qualitative pain tolerance with postoperative opioid consumption after foot and ankle surgery. This study presents a useful preoperative strategy for clinicians to customize postoperative pain management, further educate patients on responsible use of opioid medication, and reduce overall opioid prescriptions.

Safety and Cost-Efficacy of Surgical Fixation of Isolated Ankle Fractures in a Free-Standing Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) vs. Hospital-Owned Outpatient Facility (HOPD)

Category:Ankle, TraumaIntroduction/Purpose:Free-standing Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) typically provide uncomplicated surgical procedures in a non-hospital setting, and function as ‘focused factories’ that replicate the delivery of quality care while achieving lower costs as compared to hospital-owned outpatient facilities (HOPD). Despite an increasing interest towards outpatient foot and ankle surgery, few studies have compared the safety and cost-savings associated with surgical fixation of isolated ankle fractures in a free-standing ASC vs. a HOPD.Methods:The 2007-2014 Humana Administrative Claims (HAC) database was queried using Current Procedural Terminology codes to identify patients undergoing open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) for uni-malleolar (27766, 27769, 27792), bi-malleolar (27814) and tri-malleolar (27822, 27823) ankle fractures. Patients with polytrauma or those undergoing a concurrent surgical fixation of the upper extremity, hip, femur, knee or tibia were removed from the study to capture a relevant cohort of isolated ankle fracture patients. Location of surgery was identified using Service Location codes 22 (HOPD) and 24 (ASC). Propensity- score matching and multi-variate regression analyses were used to compare differences in 90-day complications, ED-visits and readmissions between the two groups. A 90-day cost comparison was also carried out to assess savings associated with surgery in an ASC vs. HOPD.Results:A total of 4,832 (80.1%) ankle fractures treated in a HOPD and 1,198 (19.9%) in a free-standing ASC were included in the study. Following propensity-score matching to account for differences in baseline demographics and clinical characteristics, each group consisted of 1,138 patients. Following multi-variate analyses, undergoing surgery in a free-standing ASC vs. a HOPD was not associated with a higher rate of 90-day complications (0.73 [95% CI 0.54 -1.00]; p=0.05), ED visits (OR 0.86 [95% CI 0.64- 1.16]; p=0.331) and readmissions (0.79 [95% CI 0.53 -1.18]; p=0.251). Furthermore, undergoing surgery in a free-standing ASC was associated with nearly $2500 cost-savings/case over the 90-day episode of care (ASC = $8,058 vs. HOPD = $10,619; p<0.001).Conclusion:Using national administrative claims of Commercial insurance beneficiaries, the results of the study show that performing surgical fixation of ankle fractures in a free-standing ASC is a safe and cost-effective option in a carefully selected patient population.

フットケア外来における「セルフケア自立支援3回プログラム制」導入の効果

フットケア外来における「セルフケア自立支援3回プログラム制」導入の効果

Prospective Evaluation of Opioid Use After Adoption of a Prescribing Guideline for Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery.

In 2016, our provider group adopted an initial prescription opioid maximum guideline to reduce overprescription of opioids. The purpose of this study was to prospectively assess opioid consumption patterns following implementation of this guideline in patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle surgery. Over a 1-year period, we prospectively analyzed opioid prescription and use patterns of 303 consecutive patients. Opioid consumption was verified by pill counts completed at the 2- and 6-week postoperative visits. The morphine equivalent dose was calculated for each prescription and converted to the equivalent 5-mg oxycodone "pill." We used the regression coefficients from a regression model of opioid consumption to create a revised guideline for maximum initial opioid prescriptions based on patient age, bony vs nonbony procedure, and anatomic location (forefoot/midfoot/hindfoot/ankle). On average, 37.4 pills were prescribed and 18.9 pills used (47.6% utilization). Only 17.2% of patients used their full prescription quantity. By 2 weeks, 88% of patients no longer used opioids. Only 1.3% of patients used prescription opioids beyond 6 weeks. Independent risk factors for increased opioid consumption were younger age (P = .003), male sex (P = .007), recent preoperative opioid use (P = .019), bony procedures (P < .001), and ankle/hindfoot procedures (P = .016 and P < .001). This study showed the amount of opioid consumption for patients undergoing foot and ankle procedures. We present a modified guideline for the maximum initial prescription of opioids following outpatient foot and ankle procedures that can be used as a benchmark for further study in decreasing overprescribing. Level II, prospective observational cohort study.

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

Category:Pain ManagementIntroduction/Purpose:The opioid epidemic in the United States continues to take lives. As one of the top prescribing groups, orthopaedic surgeons must tailor post-surgical pain control to minimize the potential for harm from prescription opioid use. Patients often reference their own pain threshold as a benchmark for how they will tolerate the pain of surgery, but current literature suggests that there is not a significant correlation between an individual’s perceived pain threshold and their actual threshold for heat stimulus. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a correlation between a patient’s self- reported pain tolerance and their actual prescription narcotic medication usage after foot and ankle surgery.Methods:This was a prospective cohort study of adult patients that underwent outpatient foot and ankle surgeries performed by 5 fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons at a large, multispecialty orthopaedic practice over a one year period. Demographic data, procedural details and anesthesia type were collected. Narcotic usage data including number of pills dispensed and pill counts performed at the first postoperative visit were obtained. Patients were contacted via email or telephone between 7-19 months postoperatively, and asked to respond to the validated statement “Pain doesn’t bother me as much as it does most people” by choosing “strongly disagree”, “disagree”, “neither”, “agree” or “strongly agree”. Patients scored their pain threshold on a scale of 1- 100 with 0 being “pain intolerant” and 100 a ”high pain threshold" and ranked their expectations of the pain after surgery and satisfaction with pain management on respective five-point Likert scales. Data was analyzed using a Spearman’s correlation.Results:Of the 486 patients who completed surveys, average age was 51.24 years, 32.1% were male and 7.82% current smokers. After controlling for age and anesthesia type, both agreement with the validated statement and higher pain tolerance score had a weak negative correlation with pills taken (r=-0.13, p=0.004 and r=-0.14, p=0.002, respectively); patients with higher perceived pain thresholds took fewer opioid pills after surgery (Table 1). Correlation between high expectations of postoperative pain and pills taken was weakly negative (r=-0.28, p=<0.001) (Table 1). Patients who found surgery more painful than they expected took less pain medication. There was a small, positive correlation between pain tolerance and satisfaction with pain management (r=0.12, p=0.008), indicating that patients with a relatively high pain tolerance had more satisfaction (Table 1).Conclusion:Assessment of both subjective description and quantitative score of a patient’s pain threshold prior to surgery may assist the surgeon in tailoring postoperative pain control regimens. Unexpectedly, patients who found surgery less painful than expected actually took a greater number of opioid pills. This may highlight an educational opportunity regarding postoperative pain management in order to reduce narcotic requirement. Setting expectations on safe utilization of prescribed pain medications may also increase satisfaction. This study provides useful information for surgeons to customize pain management regimens and to perform effective preoperative education and counseling regarding postoperative pain management.Table 1.Correlation Between Pain Threshold Assessment, Expectation of Postoperative Pain and Satisfaction with Postoperative Pain Management and Opioid Medication TakenSpearman Correlation Coefficientp-valueAgreement with statement “pain doesn’t bother me as much as it does most people” and opioid intake-0.130.004Increasing quantitative pain threshold score and opioid intake-0.140.002Assessment of postoperative pain as more painful than expected and opioid intake-0.28<0.001Increasing satisfaction with postoperative pain management and opioid intake0.120.008

Evaluating Patients for Elective Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery: Insurance as a Predictor of Patient Outcomes.

Background. Elective surgical procedures necessitate careful patient selection. Insurance level has been associated with postoperative outcomes in trauma patients. This study evaluates the relationship insurance level has with outcomes from elective foot and ankle surgery. Methods. Retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent elective surgery at a single center with 1-year follow-up. Patients were classified by insurance: under-/uninsured (Medicaid, Option plans) versus fully insured. Outcomes included narcotic refills, patient-reported outcomes (PROMIS) of pain, function, and mood, and compliance with follow-up visits. Statistical analysis involved mean comparison and multivariate regression modeling, with significance P < .05. Results. Cohort groups included 220 insured and 47 under-/uninsured. Outcomes between the insured and under-/uninsured groups differed significantly in narcotic refills (0.72 vs 1.74 respectively, P < .01), missed appointments (0.13 vs 0.62, P < .01), and PROMIS results (pain 54.5 vs 60.2; function 44.3 vs 39.5; mood 44.6 vs 51.3; P < .01). The change in PROMIS scores from preoperative to 1-year postoperative were different in pain (-7.3 vs -2.5, P = .03) and function (+6.3 vs +1.3, P = .04). Regression results confirm insurance as a significant factor (coefficient 0.27, P < .01). Conclusion. These results establish that under-/uninsured patients have worse pain, patient-reported outcomes, and functional outcomes after elective foot and ankle surgery, which may inform patient selection. Levels of Evidence: Level III: Retrospective cohort study.

Combined Popliteal Catheter with Single Injection Versus Continuous Infusion Saphenous Nerve Block

Category: Ankle, Bunion, Hindfoot, Lesser Toes, Midfoot/Forefoot, Sports, Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Surgical and analgesic advancements have increasingly allowed more foot and ankle procedures to be performed on an outpatient basis. Dual nerve blockade of saphenous and popliteal nerves minimizes post-operative pain, and continuous infusion via catheter can provide extended pain relief. In our experience, the combination of popliteal nerve catheters and single-shot saphenous nerve block effectively eliminates post-operative pain after most foot and ankle surgery. However, the early return of pain in the saphenous nerve distribution can cause early discomfort and even readmission for pain control. We hypothesized that patients receiving continuous popliteal nerve infusion with single-injection saphenous nerve block (single) will have greater post-operative pain than those patients receiving continuous popliteal and saphenous nerve infusion (dual). Methods: A cohort of 62 patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle surgery by a single fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon were prospectively, sequentially enrolled. The surgeon rated each procedure for degree of saphenous involvement as limited, moderate, or extensive. Demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification system (ASA), anesthesia time and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) time were documented. Total analgesia requirement and reported numeric pain score (NPS) at rest and with activity were recorded. Student’s t-test and chi-square test were utilized for single and dual block comparisons, and one-way ANOVA tested for differences in saphenous involvement. Results: The dual catheter group took significantly less opioid medication on post-operative day (POD) 1 compared to the single catheter group (Table 1; p=0.02). The dual catheter group reported significantly greater satisfaction with pain at POD 1 and POD 3 (p=0.03) and a significantly lower NPS at POD 1 and POD 2 (p=0.005). This trend is observed in all 3 subgroups of medial involvement. Patients in the single catheter group report about twice as much pain as patients in the dual catheter group when medial involvement was limited (7.4 v 3.8; p=0.033) or moderate (5.9 v 3.4; p=0.025). For patients with extensive medial involvement, pain was reduced when dual blocks were employed (5.4 v 6.7), but this difference was not significant (p=0.288). Conclusion: Patients in the single catheter group reported more pain and less satisfaction with pain control on POD 1, suggesting dual catheter use is superior to managing early post-operative pain in outpatient foot and ankle surgery. Interestingly, degree of medial involvement did not seem to correlate with better pain control within the dual group; in contrast, patients with less medial involvement reported better pain relief with dual than with a single catheter. From a pain management perspective, discharging patients on the day of routine outpatient foot and ankle surgery is appropriate with the judicious use of perioperative continuous infusion nerve catheters.

Factors associated with emergency room visits within 30 days of outpatient foot and ankle surgeries

ABSTRACTThe number of emergency department (ED) visits within 30 days after elective surgery has been utilized as a quality measure by many institutions. The significance of the measure as a postoperative complication in foot and ankle surgery, and risk factors for it, are unknown. We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 386 patients to determine risk factors associated with ED visits after outpatient foot and ankle surgeries. After adjusting for clinically relevant covariates, we found that previous ED visits within 6 months of surgery, and nonelective surgeries were associated with the postoperative ED visit. Having private insurance was protective against postoperative ED visits. Though these risk factors may not be easily modifiable by surgeons, understanding them may improve patient education and transitional care to prevent overcrowding of the ED.

The Modified Anterior Drawer Test (MADT): A New Clinical Test for Assessing Subtalar Instability a Cadaveric and Clinical Assessment

Background: Chronic lateral ankle instability describes multiple pathologies affecting the tibiotalar or talocalcaneal articulations of the foot. One quarter of cases are caused by isolated or concomitant subtalar instability. The standard anterior drawer test (ADT) is used in routine clinical practice to assess abnormal movement at the tibiotalar joint. However, a positive test does not discriminate whether excessive translation is at the tibiotalar or subtalar joint. We suggest a modification to the standard ADT which separates the ankle joint translation by manually immobilising the tibiotalar joint in order isolate anterior translation at the subtalar joint. In the presence of a positive ADT, the modified anterior drawer test (MADT) would help discriminate if the pathological translation is at the tibiotalar or the subtalar joint or both. Methods: Our clinical study was an observational analysis of a cohort of 12 patients who had presented to an outpatient foot clinic in east of England. In addition, a cadaveric study was used to assess subtalar anterior translation. Results: In 50% of patients who had a clinically positive ADT, the MADT was negative which correlated 100% with Stress Broden radiographic views. Cadaveric analysis was done to show an increase in anterior translation with sequential sectioning of supporting ligaments. We demonstrated an absolute reduction in anterior translation in subtalar instability with the additional posterior force (MADT). Conclusion: The clinical and cadaveric data supports the use of the MADT as a valuable adjunct in the diagnosis and exclusion of subtalar instability as a cause of symptoms in addition to stress radiography.

Pain Management After Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery.

The number of opioids prescribed and used has increased precipitously over the past 2 decades for a number of reasons and has led to increases in long-term dependency, opioid-related deaths, and diversion. Most studies examining the role of prescribing habits have investigated nonoperative providers, although there is some literature describing perioperative opioid prescription and use. There are no studies looking at the number of pills consumed after outpatient foot and ankle surgeries, nor are there guidelines for how many pills providers should prescribe. The purpose of this study was to quantify the number of narcotic pills taken by opioid-naïve patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle surgeries with regional anesthesia. Eighty-four patients underwent outpatient foot and ankle surgeries under spinal blockade and long-acting popliteal blocks. Patients were given 40 or 60 narcotic pills, a 3-day supply of ibuprofen, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, and antiemetics. Patients received surveys at postoperative day (POD) 3, 7, 14, and 56 documenting if they were still taking narcotics, the quantity of pills consumed, whether refills were obtained, their pain level, and their reason for stopping opioids. Patients consumed a mean of 22.5 pills, with a 95% confidence interval from 18 to 27 pills. Numerical Rating Scale pain scores started at 4 on POD 3 and decreased to 1.8 by POD 56. The percentage of patients still taking narcotics decreased from 55% on POD 3 to 2.8% by POD 56. Five new prescriptions were given during the study, with 3 being due to side effects from the original medication. Patients receiving regional anesthesia for outpatient foot and ankle surgeries reported progressively lower pain scores with low narcotic use up to 56 days postoperatively. We suggest that providers consider prescribing 30 pills as the benchmark for this patient population. Level II, prospective comparative study.

Pain Management after Outpatient Foot and Ankle Surgery

Category: Pain Management, Anesthetic Advances Introduction/Purpose: The number of opioid prescriptions in the United States has significantly increased over the past 20 years, including those given after low-risk surgery. Unintentional opioid overdoses have also dramatically risen. Excess pills are widely acknowledged as a source of diversion, which accounts for up to 40% of opioid-related overdoses. In the foot and ankle literature, there are no studies looking at the quantity of pain medications that should be prescribed following outpatient surgery. Furthermore, with the increasing use of peripheral nerve blocks, their effect on quantities of narcotics needed after these surgeries have not been explored. This study aims to determine prescribing patterns for common outpatient foot and ankle surgery and whether patients are over or under-prescribed opioids and if so, by how much. Methods: 57 patients undergoing outpatient foot and ankle surgeries were prospectively enrolled. Patients received a spinal neuraxial block and a long-acting popliteal peripheral nerve block, and did not receive ketorolac perioperatively. Patients were excluded if they had a history of chronic pain, or were currently using opioids or muscle relaxers. Enrolled patients received a standard post-operative prescription regimen of 60 tablets of narcotics, 3 days of scheduled ibuprofen, aspirin 81 mg twice a day (or alternate based on risk factors) for DVT prophylaxis, and ondansetron taken as needed. Patients used a pain diary to record when their block wore off and the quantity of narcotic taken. They received surveys at post-operative day (POD) 3, 7, and 14 detailing how many days they took the medication and how many pills were consumed, how their actual pain compared to their expected level of pain, and if they were satisfied with their pain control. Results: At POD 3, compared to their expected level of pain 36 patients had less pain, 15 had the same pain, and 3 had more pain than expected. The mean pain score was 4. Patients first started feeling the block wear off at 0.9 days. Patients averaged 10.3 pills of narcotics in the first 3 days and rated their overall satisfaction with pain control at 8.5. Between days 4-7, patients took an average of 7 pills, and on POD 7, 22 patients were still taking narcotics. At POD 14, patients experienced 74.4% relief of pain compared to their expected pain, and rated their overall satisfaction at 8.2. Patients had an average of 33.5 remaining pills on POD 14 and 13 patients (22.8%) were still taking narcotics. Conclusion: Patients receiving spinal and long-acting popliteal blocks, followed by the prescription regimen described above had excellent pain control after outpatient foot and ankle surgeries. Patients had a high level of satisfaction with their pain control, with many patients describing better pain relief than expected. However, 60 tablets of narcotics were excessive in most cases. We suggest that in patients receiving spinal and long-acting popliteal blocks, 30 tablets of a narcotic would cover the pain needs of most patients. This would provide a small excess in case of need, but would help minimize the risk of narcotic related complications and diversion.