The Journal of foot and ankle surgery : official publication of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
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Review Meta Analysis
Efficacy and safety of high-dose vitamin C on complex regional pain syndrome in extremity trauma and surgery--systematic review and meta-analysis.
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a devastating condition often seen after foot and ankle injury and surgery. Prevention of this pathology is attractive not only to patients but also to surgeons, because the treatment of this condition can be difficult. We evaluated the effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing occurrence of CRPS in extremity trauma and surgery by systematically reviewing relevant studies. ⋯ Our quantitative synthesis showed a relative risk of 0.22 (95% confidence interval = 0.12, 0.39) when daily vitamin C of at least 500 mg was initiated immediately after the extremity surgery or injury and continued for 45 to 50 days. A routine, daily administration of vitamin C may be beneficial in foot and ankle surgery or injury to avoid CRPS. Further foot and ankle specific and dose-response studies are warranted.
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Charcot medial column and midfoot deformities are associated with rocker bottom foot, recurrent plantar ulceration, and consequent infection. The primary goal of surgical intervention is to realign and stabilize the plantar arch in a shoe-able, plantigrade alignment. Different fixation devices, including screws, plates, and external fixators, can be used to stabilize the Charcot foot; however, each of these methods has substantial disadvantages. ⋯ No bolt breakage was observed, and no cases of recurrent or residual ulceration occurred during the observation period. Bolt removal was performed in 3 cases (37.5%), 2 (25%) because of axial migration of the bolt into the ankle joint and 1 (12.5%) because of infection. The results of the present review suggest that a solid intramedullary bolt provides reasonable fixation for realignment of the medial column in cases of Charcot neuroarthropathy.
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Case Reports
Underlying synovial sarcoma in a patient with a history of complex regional pain syndrome: a case report.
Synovial sarcoma, although commonly found in the lower extremities, is considered a rare neoplasm. One of the distinguishing features of a synovial sarcoma is its initial benign features that can later turn into a more aggressive lesion. Because of the subtle early features, synovial sarcoma can be mistaken for other pathologic entities that present with clinical signs of erythema, warmth, edema, and pain. ⋯ After magnetic resonance imaging and biopsy were performed, synovial sarcoma was diagnosed. The patient was referred to an orthopedic oncologist, who performed a transtibial amputation and chemotherapy. Although rare, neoplasm should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of a clinical presentation of a painful erythematous and edematous mass.