Plantar Fibromatosis: Pathophysiology, Surgical and Nonsurgical Therapies: An Evidence-Based Review.

Plantar fibromatosis (morbus Ledderhose), an extra-abdominal desmoid tumor of the plantar foot, is a rare benign hyperproliferative disorder of the plantar fascia with an unknown etiology. The main clinical characteristics include slow growing nodules on the medial and central bands of the plantar fascia, which may become painful and negatively affect ambulation. Most established conservative therapies today target symptomatic relief. As symptoms progress, therapies such as injections, shockwave ablation, radiation, and/or surgery may be required. This review aims to provide insight into the pathophysiology of this condition in addition to detailing current and investigational therapies for this disorder. Many therapies have been proven in similar conditions, which could lead to promising treatment options for plantar fibromatosis. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level V: Expert opinion.

Effect of semiquantitative culture results from complex host surgical wounds on dehiscence rates.

The primary aim of this study was to determine the effect of positive bacterial cultures at the time of closure on dehiscence rates. Pre- and post-débridement wound cultures from patients undergoing serial surgical débridement of infected wounds were compared with outcomes 30 days postoperatively. One-hundred patients were enrolled; 35 were excluded for incomplete culture data. Sixty-five patients were evaluated for species counts, including Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS), and semiquantitative culture data for each débridement. The post-débridement cultures on the date of closure had no growth in 42 patients (64.6%) of which 6 dehisced (14.3%), and 36 remained closed; with no statistically significant difference in dehiscence rates (p = 0.0664). Pre-débridement cultures from the 1st débridement of the 65 patients showed 8 patients had no growth, 29 grew 1 species, 19 grew 2 species, and 9 had 3-5 species. There was a reduction in the number of species and improvement of semiquantitative cultures with each subsequent débridement. The dehiscence rate for those who had 2 débridements (n = 42) was 21.4% at 30 day follow-up and 21.7% in those who had 3 débridements (n = 23). The number of débridements had no statistical significance on dehiscence rates. The presence of CoNS on the day of closure was a statistically significant risk for dehiscence within 30 days (p = 0.0091) postoperatively. This data demonstrates: (1) positive post-débridement cultures (scant/rare, growth in enrichment broth) at the time of closure did not affect overall dehiscence rates (p = 0.0664), (2) the number of species and semiquantitative culture results both improved with each subsequent débridement, (3) the number of surgical débridement did not influence postclosure dehiscence rates. (4) Positive cultures containing CoNS at the time of closure is a risk factor for dehiscence (p = 0.0091).

The Use of Bovine Collagen-glycosaminoglycan Matrix for Atypical Lower Extremity Ulcers.

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of bovine collagen-glycosaminoglycan matrix on atypical lower extremity ulcers. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent application of bovine collagen matrix to a lower extremity ulcer with an atypical etiology including autoimmune disease, sickle cell anemia, radiation therapy, connective tissue disease, vasculitis, or coagulopathy from January 2009 to October 2014. The following outcomes were evaluated: rate of ulcer healing and closure, number of ulcers that received a split-thickness skin graft, improvement in pain, and complications related to the ulcer. Thirty-eight patients with 71 lower extremity ulcers were analyzed. The most common ulcer etiolo- gies included rheumatoid arthritis, sickle cell anemia, and coagulopa- thy. After application of the bovine collagen matrix, 30 (42.3%) ulcers healed at a mean of 220.9 days. Of the 71 ulcers, 26 (36.6%) re- ceived a split-thickness skin graft after application of the matrix and 17 (65.4%) of those went on to complete healing. Ten patients had a local infection noted during follow-up, and 5 patients had dehiscence or dissociation of the matrix. Atypical lower extremity ulcers, such as those caused by autoimmune diseases and sickle cell anemia, proved difficult to heal. This case series shows that bovine collagen matrix can be a successful adjunctive therapy for the treatment of these challenging ulcers.

What's new in wound treatment: a critical appraisal.

With the growing demand for the specialized care of wounds, there is an ever expanding abundance of wound care modalities available. It is difficult to identify which products or devices enhance wound healing, and thus, a critical and continual look at new advances is necessary. The goal of any wound regimen should be to optimize wound healing by combining basic wound care modalities including debridement, off-loading, and infection control with the addition of advanced therapies when necessary. This review takes a closer look at current uses of negative pressure wound therapy, bioengineered alternative tissues, and amniotic membrane products. While robust literature may be lacking, current wound care advances are showing great promise in wound healing.

Soft Tissue Balancing After Partial Foot Amputations.

Partial foot amputations have become common procedures for the foot and ankle surgeon as part of a limb salvage practice. These procedures are highly technique driven and there are many complex factors that affect the outcome and longevity. Appropriate surgical planning must be used with every partial foot amputation to ensure a plantigrade foot with the least potential for future breakdown. When performed appropriately, these amputations have great success with lower energy expenditure and decreased mortality compared with below-knee or above-knee amputations.

Synovial Chondromatosis Surrounding the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint: A Case Report.

UNLABELLED: Synovial chondromatosis is a benign synovial tumor that rarely occurs in the foot. We present a case of a 36-year-old male who underwent surgical excision of primary synovial chondromatosis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. This report also presents a review of the literature related to synovial chondromatosis of the foot. Currently in the literature, this pathology has been described as occurring in multiple locations in the foot and ankle. Synovial chondromatosis can occur primarily or secondarily in diseased joints. Treatment is based on the phase of disease, with a goal to decrease pain and arthritis, and increase mobility. Surgical techniques used for foot and ankle synovial chondromatosis have been adapted from larger joints where the condition is more prevalent. Further case studies are needed to formulate a treatment protocol for foot and ankle synovial chondromatosis, but successful surgical excision was found in this case report. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study.

Comparison of Outcomes for Normal Saline and an Antiseptic Solution for Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy with Instillation.

BACKGROUND: Negative-pressure wound therapy with instillation is an adjunctive treatment that uses periodic instillation of a solution and negative pressure for a wide diversity of wounds. A variety of solutions have been reported, with topical antiseptics as the most frequently chosen option. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of normal saline versus an antiseptic solution for negative-pressure wound therapy with instillation for the adjunctive treatment of infected wounds. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, effectiveness study comparing 0.9% normal saline versus 0.1% polyhexanide plus 0.1% betaine for the adjunctive treatment of infected wounds that required hospital admission and operative débridement. One hundred twenty-three patients were eligible, with 100 patients randomized for the intention-to-treat analysis and 83 patients for the per-protocol analysis. The surrogate outcomes measured were number of operative visits, length of hospital stay, time to final surgical procedure, proportion of closed or covered wounds, and proportion of wounds that remained closed or covered at the 30-day follow-up. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the demographic profiles in the two cohorts except for a larger proportion of male patients (p = 0.004). There was no statistically significant difference in the surrogate outcomes with the exception of the time to final surgical procedure favoring normal saline (p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: The authors' results suggest that 0.9% normal saline may be as effective as an antiseptic (0.1% polyhexanide plus 0.1% betaine) for negative-pressure wound therapy with instillation for the adjunctive inpatient management of infected wounds. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, II.

Bioengineered alternative tissues in diabetic wound healing.

New advances in medicine and technology continually change how clinicians treat patients with the aim of improving outcomes. As technology continues to improve, the ability to treat patients will improve as well. Great progress has been made in diabetic wound healing with BATs and there will continue to be improvement with new products in the future. However, the current literature is replete with small case series and small cohort studies. With the exception of the pivotal trials conducted more than a decade ago, there is a lack of robust evidence for the use of BATs. More advanced BATs, including the use of MSCs, show promise but have yet to be studied in a rigid manner. It is important to apply fundamental principles of DFU care, including maximizing perfusion, off-loading, and debridement, before using of these more advanced therapies.