Postoperative Infection in the Foot and Ankle

Abstract

Our discussion highlights the commonly performed surgical procedures in the foot and ankle and reviews the various imaging modalities available for the detection of infection with graphic examples to better enable radiologists to approach the radiological evaluation of postoperative infection in the foot and ankle. Discrimination between infectious and noninfectious inflammation remains a diagnostic challenge usually needing a combination of clinical assessment, laboratory investigations, and imaging studies to increase diagnostic accuracy.

Presurgical Perspective and Postsurgical Evaluation of Non-Achilles Tendons of the Ankle and Retinaculum

“…MRI is used to assess a clinical suspicion of infection because it can depict cellulitis, tenosynovitis, or abscesses. 51 Late complications involve recurrent degeneration, tears, dislocations, and peritendinous adhesions. 14…”