Diabetic foot is one of the most important sources of morbidity in patients with diabetes, affecting 6.4% of patients worldwide. It is the most common cause of lower extremity amputation.
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2021-11-16
Author: Claudio Ghiani
Charcot Neuroarthropathy, also called Charcot Foot and Ankle, is a progressive and inflammatory condition that weakens the soft tissues, bones, and joints of the foot and ankle. This complex and challenging type of neuropathic arthropathy is commonly linked to diabetes. If left untreated, it can lead to devastating consequences, such as deformity, ulceration, and infection. In the worst-case scenario, it may result in limb amputation.
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2021-10-17
To prevent and manage pin site problems, the patient should be clearly informed of the protocol he/she needs to follow for pin site care in the post-operative phase. And not only the patient, but all people involved in the healing process outside the hospital should know the protocol.
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Dynamization (dynamic loading and controlled motion at the fracture site) is considered a controversial and evolving issue, besides the positive functional results observed both in experimental studies based on animal models, and in human clinical cases in the last 30 years. Currently one crucial matter is to understand the biomechanical, biological and physiological effects of dynamization on the bone healing process, in order to show its safety and effectiveness.
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2021-05-27
When an orthopedic surgeon has to perform a bone deformity correction, he or she may choose to apply an extrinsic method of correction such us an external fixator, or an intrinsic one, such us an intramedullary nail. In both cases, a surgeon will always have to consider the patient’s bone quality through three dimensional parameters: length, alignment and torsion, and accurately the entire 3D correction process. If using an intramedullary nail, an effective planning method is the Reverse Planning Method (RPM) developed by Prof. Rainer Baumgart in 2009.(1)
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Charcot Foot and Ankle is a complex, challenging and sometimes devastating inflammatory foot disease which causes loss of sensation, weakening of the bones and collapse of the weight bearing joints. Most often due to diabetes and underlying neuropathic arthropathy, it needs a multidisciplinary team approach in order to treat it properly and prevent amputation.
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A child may need the help of a pediatric orthopedic surgeon for many reasons: musculoskeletal injuries caused by playing a sport, jumping, climbing or cycling, and conditions that have to be treated by a specialized team. In addition to several pediatric solutions and a deep knowledge within the orthopedic surgical field, Orthofix offers a complete and effective treatment philosophy.
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2021-05-22
A typical question that a surgeon has to face when deciding the treatment of a bony injury is when to use internal fixation instead of external fixation. A common answer is “when the patient is compliant, with sufficient bone and soft tissue quality, and presents less complex fractures”. Surgeon’s expertise and preference may also affect the final surgical plan.
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Bone deformity is a three-dimensional issue, considering the three-dimensional shape of bones and joints. All basic considerations of deformity correction by using an external device should include the fundamental concepts of Anatomical and Mechanical Axis. These concepts allow a better understanding of the effects of adjustments or modifications in one plane when managing a three-dimensional problem such as bone deformity.
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The multifocal procedure, in which two osteotomies are performed, is indicated in the presence of large bone defects, extreme shortening, shortening combined with metaphyseal deformity where lengthening takes place in more than one site, and fractures with soft tissue defects and exposed bone. The application technique of the external device is quite similar to that for bone transport, with the only difference being that in this procedure two compression-distraction units are used simultaneously.
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