Comparison of Radiographic Outcomes Assessed via the Radiographic Union Scale for Tibial Fractures and Alkaline Phosphatase Levels during the Tibial Healing Process: A Series of Case Reports.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Tibial diaphysis fractures are common injuries resulting from high-to-low-energy traumas in patients of all age groups, but few reports currently provide complementary parameters for the assessment of bone healing processes in the postoperative period. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the scores from the Radiographic Union Scale for Tibial Fractures (RUST) can promote new horizons in this context. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the behavior of ALP and RUST through within-subject comparisons from immediately post-surgery to 49 days after tibial diaphysis fracture repair. METHODS: This article included four case studies where patients underwent the same procedures. Adults of both sexes aged 18 to 60 years with tibial fractures requiring surgery were included. After surgical intervention (T1), the patients were followed for 49 days after surgery, returning for follow-up appointments on the 21st (T2) and 49th (T3) days. At the follow-up appointments, new X-ray images were obtained, and blood samples were collected for ALP measurement. RESULTS: Serum ALP levels increased by T2 following tibial reamed intramedullary nailing surgery. While this increase persisted into T3 for two patients, a decline was observed during the same period for the other two patients. Both events are indicative of the bone consolidation process, and RUST scores at the T3 corroborate this perspective for all patients included in this study. Considering that delta ALP (T3-T1 value) was lower in patients who exhibited the highest RUST score, we suggest that a synchronized analysis between ALP and RUST allows medics to diagnose bone consolidation. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, it can be concluded that the analysis of ALP alongside RUST may be complementary for evaluating bone consolidation following tibial reamed intramedullary nailing surgery, but future studies are needed to confirm this assertion.

Reliability of Two Smartphone Applications for Radiographic Measurements of Hallux Valgus Angles.

The objective of the present study was to assess the reliability of 2 smartphone applications compared with the traditional goniometer technique for measurement of radiographic angles in hallux valgus and the time required for analysis with the different methods. The radiographs of 31 patients (52 feet) with a diagnosis of hallux valgus were analyzed. Four observers, 2 with >10 years' experience in foot and ankle surgery and 2 in-training surgeons, measured the hallux valgus angle and intermetatarsal angle using a manual goniometer technique and 2 smartphone applications (Hallux Angles and iPinPoint). The interobserver and intermethod reliability were estimated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and the time required for measurement of the angles among the 3 methods was compared using the Friedman test. A very good or good interobserver reliability was found among the 4 observers measuring the hallux valgus angle and intermetatarsal angle using the goniometer (ICC 0.913 and 0.821, respectively) and iPinPoint (ICC 0.866 and 0.638, respectively). Using the Hallux Angles application, a very good interobserver reliability was found for measurements of the hallux valgus angle (ICC 0.962) and intermetatarsal angle (ICC 0.935) only among the more experienced observers. The time required for the measurements was significantly shorter for the measurements using both smartphone applications compared with the goniometer method. One smartphone application (iPinPoint) was reliable for measurements of the hallux valgus angles by either experienced or nonexperienced observers. The use of these tools might save time in the evaluation of radiographic angles in the hallux valgus.

Avaliação da reprodutibilidade da classificação de Sanders para fraturas do calcâneo / Assessment of reproducibility of sanders classification for calcaneal fractures

Objetivo: Avaliar a reprodutibilidade intra e inter observadores da Classificação Tomográfica de Sanders das fraturas do calcâneo entre observadores mais e menos experientes em cirurgia do pé e tornozelo.Métodos: Foram avaliadas imagens tomográficas de 46 pacientes com diagnóstico de fratura do calcâneo. Quatro observadores, dois com dez anos de experiência em cirurgia do pé e tornozelo e dois residentes do terceiro ano em Ortopedia e Traumatologia classificaram as fraturas independentemente. Após três semanas, os mesmos observadores classificaram as fraturas apresentadas em ordem alterada aleatoriamente.A concordância intra e inter observadores foi analisada através do índice Kappa. Resultados: Houve boa concordância intra observador para os dois observadores mais experientes e um observador menos experiente (valores de Kappa 0,640; 0,632 e 0,629, respectivamente). Quando analisada a concordância inter observador, houve concordância fraca entre os mais experientes (Kappa = 0,289) e moderada entreos menos experientes (Kappa = 0,527). Conclusões: A Classificação Tomográfica de Sanders apresentou boa concordância intra observador,porém reprodutibilidade inter observadores abaixo da ideal, tanto entre observadores mais experientes quanto aqueles menos experientes.Nível de Evidência III, Estudos Diagnósticos.

Objective: To assess intra- and interobserver reproducibilityof Sanders Classification System of calcaneal fracturesamong experienced and less experienced observers. Methods:Forty-six CT scans of intra-articular calcaneal fractureswere reviewed. Four observers, two with ten years ofexperience in foot and ankle surgery and two third-year residentsin Orthopedics and Traumatology classified the fractureson two separate occasions three weeks apart from eachother. The intra and inter-observer reliability was analyzedusing the Kappa index. Results: There was good intraobserverreliability for the two experienced observers and oneless experienced observer (Kappa values 0.640, 0.632 and0.629, respectively). The interobserver reliability was fairbetween the experienced observers (Kappa = 0.289) andmoderate among the less experienced observers (Kappa= 0.527). Conclusions: The Sanders Classification Systemshowed good intraobserver reliability, but interobserver reproducibilitybelow the ideal level, both among experiencedand less experienced observers. Level of Evidence III,Diagnostic Studies.

ASSESSMENT OF REPRODUCIBILITY OF SANDERS CLASSIFICATION FOR CALCANEAL FRACTURES.

OBJECTIVE: : To assess intra- and interobserver reproducibility of Sanders Classification System of calcaneal fractures among experienced and less experienced observers. METHODS: : Forty-six CT scans of intra-articular calcaneal fractures were reviewed. Four observers, two with ten years of experience in foot and ankle surgery and two third-year residents in Orthopedics and Traumatology classified the fractures on two separate occasions three weeks apart from each other. The intra and inter-observer reliability was analyzed using the Kappa index. RESULTS: : There was good intraobserver reliability for the two experienced observers and one less experienced observer (Kappa values 0.640, 0.632 and 0.629, respectively). The interobserver reliability was fair between the experienced observers (Kappa = 0.289) and moderate among the less experienced observers (Kappa = 0.527). CONCLUSIONS: : The Sanders Classification System showed good intraobserver reliability, but interobserver reproducibility below the ideal level, both among experienced and less experienced observers. Level of Evidence III, Diagnostic Studies.

Endoscopic treatment of the posterior ankle impingement syndrome on amateur and professional athletes.

PURPOSE: To determine whether professional and amateur athletes showed differences in ankle function when treated with endoscopic technique for posterior ankle impingement syndrome, to verify the impact of the presence of associated lesions in clinical evolution and to assess time to return to sport (we hypothesize that time will be the only difference between groups). METHODS: Thirty-two athletes with a diagnosis of posterior impingement syndrome underwent surgery endoscopically. The American Orthopaedics Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale was used to compare functional results between amateur (15) and professional athletes (17). The satisfaction, time to return to sport, operative time, intraoperative findings and complications were evaluated, and the presence of associated injuries interfering in these results was verified. RESULTS: The preoperative AOFAS score range for the professional group was 62.9 ± 14 preoperatively and 92.3 ± 7.7 postoperatively, and for the amateur group was 67.9 ± 19.7 and 94 ± 9.3. The satisfaction was excellent or good in 94 % of all cases and fair in 6%. The average time of surgery was 48.3 + 25 min. Bone involvement was present in 100% of cases and complications in three cases. Time to return to sports was similar (n.s.) in both groups, and the mean time was 15.6 ± 13.7 and 16.3 ± 9 weeks, respectively. CONCLUSION: No significant difference regarding functional results and time to return to sports between professionals and amateur athletes operated was found. Athletes showed mainly good and excellent results and low complication rate. The presence of associated injuries did not significantly influence the results. With these results, the high-level athlete can better programme their surgeries so they can fully recover and perform better in the most important competitions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.