No abstract

Background Although it is a widely accepted clinical principle that cavovarus deformity predisposes to peroneal tendon problems, there are limited data to support that assumption. This study tested the hypothesis that cavovarus is associated with peroneal tendon tears and evaluated which radiographic measures correlated with that association. Methods: A retrospective comparison of radiographic measures of cavovarus in 234 consecutive patients operatively treated for chronically symptomatic peroneal tendon tears was compared to a matched control group. Measures included calcaneal pitch, anteroposterior (AP) talometatarsal and talocalcaneal angles, and talonavicular coverage angle. A novel coordinate system analyzed midfoot and hindfoot components of cavovarus. Analysis of variance was used to compare cohorts, and a Tukey-Kramer test used to analyze 3 subgroups of brevis and longus tears, and concomitant tears. Results: The distribution of tears was 73% peroneus brevis, 8% longus, and 19% both tendons. Compared with controls, the study group, and subgroups, had multiple measures of increased cavovarus, including greater calcaneal pitch ( P = .0001), decreased AP talo–first metatarsal angle ( P = .0001), and increased talonavicular coverage angle ( P = .0001). Elevated medial longitudinal arch, and rotational changes in the radiographic profiles of the hindfoot were found with the coordinate system described by Yokokura. Conclusion: This study found a statistically significant association of increased cavovarus deformity with peroneal tendon tears, compared to controls. It documented the relative incidence of tears of peroneus brevis, peroneus longus, and concomitant tears in a large surgical series. It demonstrated which simple radiographic angles and complex coordinate measurements of cavovarus deformity were significantly associated with peroneal tendon tears. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative cohort study.

Category: Other; Sports Introduction/Purpose: While it is a commonly accepted principle peroneal tendon (PT) tears are associated with cavovarus deformity, this is the first study that both quantifies deformity in patients with surgically proven tears using sophisticated and reproducible methods to compare radiographic measurements to a matched control group. Understanding of the anatomy and mechanism of injury affecting the PTs has led to greater recognition of PT tears as an important cause of lateral sided foot and ankle pain. The literature reports a presumed correlation between the cavus foot and PT tears. Little data exist quantifying the correlation between PT tears and the alignment of the foot. We hypothesize the cavovarus foot applies stress over the lateral border of the foot leading to degenerative changes in PTs. Methods: A cohort of 252 consecutive patients operatively treated for peroneal tendon tears (PT) were compared to an age- and sex- matched control (C) group of 104 outpatients treated for isolated forefoot problems. Calcaneal pitch, calcaneal - first metatarsal, talometatarsal, and talocalcaneal angles were compared on standing lateral radiographs. Talometatarsal and talocalcaneal angles, and talonavicular coverage, were compared on standing anteroposterior radiographs. Published radiographic criteria were used to determine cavovarus. ANOVA analysis detected statistically significant differences between patients and controls and a subsequent Tukey-Kramer test compared the control group with each type of PT tear. An a prioripower analysis was performed to calculate the minimum sample size in each cohort to detect a 90% effect size for a significance level of p<0.05. Results: Radiographic cavovarus was found in 9.4% (74/252) of PT group, and 6.7% (7/104) in controls. On lateral radiographs a significant greater calcaneal pitch (p=0.0001), and significant smaller calcaneal-first metatarsal angle (p=0.0084) was noted with PT tears (p=0.0001). On anteroposterior radiographs a significant smaller talometatarsal angle (p=0.0001) and talonavicular coverage (p=0.0001) were noted in PT tears. AP talocalcaneal and lateral talometatarsal and talocalcaneal angles were not correlated with PT tears. Patients treated for PT tears, isolated peroneus brevis tears (PB) accounted for 67.9% (171/252), isolated peroneus longus (PL) tendon tears were 7.5% (19/252), PB and PL tears accounted for 17.5% (44/252). A smaller talometatarsal angle on the AP was associated with PL (0.0098) and combined PB and PL tears (<0.0001) but not PB tears alone (0.1162). Conclusion: The correlation between cavovarus and peroneal pathology in the literature is highly anecdotal. Few studies report objective measures. This is the first study to our knowledge comparing nature and severity of cavovarus according to location of peroneal tear. This study proves and quantifies objective measures of cavovarus that correlate with peroneal tendon tears, when compared to a cohort of matched controls.

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Other Introduction/Purpose: Cheilectomy and arthrodesis are the primary surgical treatments of hallux rigidus. While cheilectomy preserves limited motion, that motion can be the source of persistent pain that later requires arthrodesis. Cheilectomy with interposition arthroplasty using a synthetic hydrogel implant (Cartiva) has been proposed as an alternative to arthrodesis. Previous studies compared Cartiva to arthrodesis, but Cartiva is really a modification of cheilectomy, meant to improve its results by distracting the bony surfaces of the first MTP joint. This study compared outcomes of cheilectomy with Cartiva to cheilectomy alone. Methods: A retrospective cohort study assessed the results at 1-year minimum follow-up, identifying patients by CPT code for cheilectomy with (28291) and without (28289) Cartiva interposition. There were forty-five patients: 26 in the Cartiva group and 19 in the cheilectomy group. Tabulated data included: age, gender; preoperative, 6-month, and final postoperative total first MTP ranges of motion (ROM); preoperative and final postoperative VAS and SF-36 scores; and reoperation information. Hallux rigidus grade was assessed by Coughlin and Shurnas criteria. First MTP joint space was measured at the medial, midline, and lateral portions of the joint on both AP and lateral radiographs before, immediately following, and at maximum postoperative follow-up (16 month mean). For analysis, medial, midline, and lateral joint measurements were averaged to generate a composite measure of radiographic joint space. Follow-up means were 23 months for all patients, 18 for Cartiva and 28 for cheilectomy. Results: Mean age was 54. Mean preoperative grade was 2.6 for Cartiva and 2.1 for cheilectomy (p=0.037). Mean preoperative ROM was 44°. At 1 year follow-up, ROM was 39° for Cartiva and 47° for cheilectomy (p=0.95). Mean VAS improved from 5.8 to 2.0 and 3.0 for Cartiva and cheilectomy, respectively, at final follow-up (p=0.002, p=0.004). Following Cartiva, two week postoperative joint space means increased: AP midline 1.4 to 2.6 mm, AP composite 1.4 to 2.2 mm, and lateral midline 1.3 to 2.7 mm (p<0.001). At final follow-up, joint space measures returned to levels similar to cheilectomy: AP midline 1.3 vs. 1.2 mm, AP composite 1.1 vs. 1.2 mm, and lateral midline 1.6 vs. 1.2 mm (p>0.3). Five patients in each group (22%) underwent revision. Conclusion:: Cartiva offers similar intermediate-term ROM preservation and pain relief as cheilectomy in a cohort with higher grade hallux rigidus. Joint distraction gained by synthetic hydrogel interposition subsides with time to levels similar to cheilectomy. Revision surgery for persistent pain is common in both groups.

Category: Other Introduction/Purpose: Foot and ankle (FA) pain can be found in up to 20% of the adult population.1 Etiologies are multifactorial and include neurologic injury, trauma, deformity, tendinopathies and psychological factors. The purpose of this investigation is to assess psychological factors contributing to FA pain in surgical and nonsurgical patients. By identifying how psychological factors influence patient reported pain and disability, clinicians may be able to develop interventions to decrease catastrophic thinking and improve psychological well-being prior to considering surgical intervention Methods: All patients seen in a FA clinic by a single fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeon from August 2016 to October 2016 were included. All patients completed 5 functional assessments prior to their visit (PHQ-2, VAS Pain Scale, FAAM, PSEQ, PCS). We divided the patients into two groups based on their performance on the PHQ (PHQ < 3, or PHQ = 3), which measures depression. Scores = 3 are indicative of clinical depression. Nonparametric Wilcoxon testing was used to determine whether the distributions of the other scores (VAS Pain Scale, FAAM, PSEQ and PCS) were significantly different between these two groups. Results: Of the 225 patients included in our analysis, there were 175 (88%) had PHQ-2 depression scores of < 3 (Group 1) and 50 (22%) had scores = 3 (Group 2). Group 2 demonstrated a statistically significant increase in VAS Pain Scale and PCS. In addition, patients in Group 2 showed statistically significant decreases in FAAM and PSEQ. Patients in Group 2 were statistically more likely to be obese, use tobacco, and be unemployed. Conclusion: In patients with common FA complaints, those with clinical depression, as assessed by the PHQ-2, demonstrated increased pain scores, decreased ability to cope with pain, and lower functional outcome scores compared to patients without depression. Tobacco use, obesity and employment status were found to independently affect pain, coping, and function of patients. These data suggest that depression can significantly affect a patient’s ability to cope with pain and to achieve a higher functional outcome. This data suggests patients with depression may have increased difficulty coping with their FA ailment leading to the need for increased counseling regarding expected outcomes.