Podiatry Today Current Issue

Is There A Link Between CT Scans And Higher Cancer Rates?

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Physicians reportedly obtain over 60 million computed tomography (CT) scans each year in the United States. However, a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) suggests that CT scans may be linked to an increased risk of radiation exposure and cancer.

Citing evidence from epidemiologic studies, the authors of the NEJM article indicate that organ doses from a common CT study, consisting of two or three scans, may result in an increased risk of cancer.

“As compared with plain film radiography, CT invo

Essential Questions For Surgical Intervention Of Diabetic Foot Infections

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Dedicating oneself to the side of limb salvage in the fight against diabetic foot disease is a demanding and personally challenging enterprise. In the face of infection, it often seems as though all variables are against the surgeon and the patient as they both struggle against the possibilities of proximal amputation and limb loss. In fact, it often appears as though the only constant is the unpredictability of the disease progression.

However, expert knowledge in lower extremity anatomy is one of the most valuable tools that one can have in this fi

Expert Insights On Treating The Wounded Charcot Foot

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Treating a wound on a Charcot foot can be a challenge. Our expert panelists discuss the diagnosis of acute Charcot, the management of Charcot and Charcot-related wounds, indications for exostectomy and keys to facilitating a return to weightbearing.

Q: How do you diagnose an acute Charcot foot? Do you use any ancillary testing?

A: Most of the time, Geoffrey Habershaw, DPM, diagnoses acute Charcot by combining the patient’s history and physical with simple tests.
Dr. Habershaw, Lawrence Lavery, DP

Pertinent Insights On Treating Lapidus Nonunions

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Nonunion is a well-documented potential complication of the Lapidus arthrodesis. It reportedly occurs anywhere from 3.3 percent to 12 percent of the time, and is a very challenging problem to fix.^1-7

Granted, a strict definition of nonunion and timeline for classifying a nonunion varies from one surgeon to another. However, for the purpose of this discussion, nonunion has both clinical and radiographic definitions. Nonunions involve the failure of bone healing at the fusion site after six months, broken hardware or both. A clinical nonunio

How To Differentiate Soft Tissue Neoplasms

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Soft tissue neoplasms of the lower extremity present a significant treatment challenge to the treating physician. Although most neoplasms of the lower extremity prove to be benign, the potential for malignancy does exist. The ability to appropriately diagnose and treat soft tissue neoplasms may be the difference between life and death for the patient presenting with a soft tissue tumor of the lower extremity.

Accordingly, let us take a closer look at appropriate evaluation and diagnostic techniques that will aid the physician in making an accurate dia

A Guide To Hybrid Screw Fixation In Lesser Metatarsal Surgery

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

During the past five years, there has been a large influx of non-traditional bone screws on the orthopedic market for small bone fixation of the foot. Some of these designs have been effective at providing long-term surgical fracture stability with reduced osteotomy fixation morbidity. Additionally, these bone screw designs have found their way into a variety of applications in hindfoot surgery with headless screws, locking plate screws and cannulated self-tapping screws.

When trying to assess the technology available in small fragment fixation, it

Current Insights On Bracing For Hindfoot Osteoarthritis

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Foot orthoses (FOs) have been a standard treatment in podiatric clinics for decades. Until a decade ago, however, it was rare for American podiatrists to dispense ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) of any kind.

In 1996, the Richie Brace was introduced and it was the first ankle brace to incorporate a custom functional foot orthosis (FFO). Two years later, the Arizona Brace, the first gauntlet AFO to incorporate a polypropylene shell, arrived on the market and was soon widely used within the podiatric profession. read more

Recognizing Lower Extremity Effects Of Antiretroviral Drugs

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a major health problem worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that approximately 40,000 people in the United States become infected with HIV each year.¹ Human immunodeficiency virus infection and severe HIV-related disease have become leading causes of illness and death in the U.S. The cumulative estimated number of diagnoses of AIDS through 2005 in the United States and dependent areas was 988,376.²
read more

Keys To Facilitating Optimal Orthotic Success

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Please click here for the full Continuing Medical Education article:

http://www.naccme.com/program/n-122/

In order to enhance one's ability to prescribe custom orthoses, this author emphasizes a thorough exam, a focused evaluation of the patient's footwear, accurate impressions and fabrication, and key nuances to maximizing the effectiveness of modifications.

Metatarsal Head Resurfacing: Does It Have A Place In Treating Hallux Limitus/Rigidus?

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:39 -0400

Hallux limitus occurs when a patient has decreased sagittal plane dorsiflexion of the great toe with the foot in a weightbearing or simulated weightbearing loaded position that is usually associated with a progressive, arthritic and painful condition of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MPJ).

Functional hallux limitus is described as limited joint mobility with the foot in a loaded position versus normal range of motion in an unloaded position. Hallux rigidus can be defined as elimination of range of motion at the joint, and usually results from e