Functional outcome of endoscopic plantar fasciotomy.

BACKGROUND: The majority of cases of plantar fasciitis can be treated nonoperatively; however, a small number of patients remain refractory to nonoperative treatment and operative intervention is indicated. Historically, open treatment has been recommended, but more recently endoscopic plantar fasciotomy (EPF) has produced promising results. METHODS: Forty-eight patients (56 feet) were identified who underwent endoscopic plantar fasciotomy. Forty-one patients (49 feet) were available for followup. There were 15 men and 26 women, with an average age of 53.8 (range, 42 to 68) years. The mean followup time was 49.5 (range, 6 to 142) months. An AOFAS Hind foot Scale was used for analysis. The influence of gender, duration of symptoms, severity of symptoms, and bilateral verses unilateral release were examined. RESULTS: Pain resolved completely in 37 feet, decreased in 11 feet, and increased in one foot. The mean postoperative AOFAS Hindfoot score improved 39 points (54 to 93, p < 0.001). Patients with severe symptoms achieved higher mean improvement than the moderate symptom group (p < 0.0001). Patients with symptoms greater than 24~months trended towards lower mean improvement and lower post operative AOFAS Hindfoot scores. Both gender and laterality did not significantly influence outcome. There was one superficial infection, one third and fourth metatarsal stress fracture in the same patient, and transient lateral hindfoot pain in five patients. CONCLUSION: EPF was an effective operation with reproducible results, low complication rate, and little risk of iatrogenic nerve injury with proper technique.

Simultaneous symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst and GH secreting pituitary adenoma: a case report.

A case of symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst and growth hormone (GH) secreting pituitary adenoma is described. A patient presented with a visual field deficit and a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study demonstrated compression of the optic chiasm by a large suprasellar cyst and a small lesion in the sellar consistent with a microadenoma. Preoperative clinical evaluation revealed mild acromegalic features, glucose intolerance, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and carpel tunnel syndrome, and blood testing confirmed an elevated insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). A modified transsphenoidal skull based approach was performed for selective transsphenoidal adenomectomy and decompression of the surprasellar cyst. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course with resolution of the visual field deficits and dysmenorrhea. Endocrine testing at two-month post procedure were normal. While there have been a small number of cases reported of concomitant pituitary adenomas and Rathke's cleft cysts, there is no report known to these authors of coexisting symptomatic lesions.