Search Results
Background: Diabetic foot osteomyelitis is a common infection where treatment involves multiple services, including infectious diseases, podiatry, and pathology. Despite its ubiquity in the hospital, consensus on much of its management is lacking.
Methods: Representatives from infectious diseases, podiatry, and pathology interested in quality improvement developed multidisciplinary institutional recommendations culminating in an educational intervention describing optimal diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO). Knowledge acquisition was assessed by preintervention and postintervention surveys. Inpatients with forefoot DFO were retrospectively reviewed before and after intervention to assess frequency of recommended diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers, including appropriate definition of surgical bone margins, definitive histopathology reports, and unnecessary intravenous antibiotics or prolonged antibiotic courses.
Results: A postintervention survey revealed significant improvements in knowledge of antibiotic treatment duration and the role of oral antibiotics in managing DFO. There were 104 consecutive patients in the preintervention cohort (April 1, 2018, to April 1, 2019) and 32 patients in the postintervention cohort (November 5, 2019, to March 1, 2020), the latter truncated by changes in hospital practice during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Noncategorizable or equivocal disease reports decreased from before intervention to after intervention (27.0% versus 3.3%, respectively; P = .006). We observed nonsignificant improvement in correct bone margin definition (74.0% versus 87.5%; P = .11), unnecessary peripherally inserted central catheter line placement (18.3% versus 9.4%; P = .23), and unnecessary prolonged antibiotics (21.9% versus 5.0%; P = .10). In addition, by working as an interdisciplinary group, many solvable misunderstandings were identified, and processes were adjusted to improve the quality of care provided to these patients.
Conclusions: This quality improvement initiative regarding management of DFO led to improved provider knowledge and collaborative competency between these three departments, improvements in definitive pathology reports, and nonsignificant improvement in several other clinical endpoints. Creating collaborative competency may be an effective local strategy to improve knowledge of diabetic foot infection and may generalize to other common multidisciplinary conditions.
A prospective epidemiologic survey on the prevalence of foot disease in Hong Kong found foot disease in 64% of patients screened. All of the patients were ethnically Chinese. Of the conditions specified in the questionnaire, fungal foot infection, tinea pedis, and toenail onychomycosis were the most frequently encountered conditions, followed by metatarsal corns, eczema, psoriasis, and pes planus. Vascular disease, osteoarticular pathology, diabetes mellitus, obesity, atopy, and participation in sports were the main factors coexisting with the foot conditions. Of the study population, 17% and 21% reported that their quality of life was affected by pain and discomfort, respectively. These percentages are much lower than those obtained in other studies; it may therefore be inferred that foot complaints are being neglected by the ethnic Chinese population in Hong Kong. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 92(8): 450-456, 2002)
The purpose of this article is to familiarize physicians with the risks of prescribing trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) for patients who have kidney or cardiac pathology, have hyperkalemia, or take other interacting medications. Although TMP/SMX is a drug that is frequently used to treat skin and soft-tissue infections of the leg and foot, particularly if methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is identified, it is not an innocuous antibiotic. Literature documenting the many adverse effects of TMP/SMX is reviewed. A case history is presented illustrating the association of TMP/SMX with the development of a life-threatening situation. Ways of avoiding these adverse events are discussed, and the use of safer antibiotics is recommended.
Azole Resistance in Dermatophytes
Prevalence and Mechanism of Action
Azole antifungal agents (eg, fluconazole and itraconazole) have been widely used to treat superficial fungal infections caused by dermatophytes and, unlike the allylamines (such as terbinafine and naftifine), have been associated with resistance development. Although many published manuscripts describe resistance to azoles among yeast and molds, reports describing resistance of dermatophytes are starting to appear. In this review, I discuss the mode of action of azole antifungals and mechanisms underlying their resistance compared with the allylamine class of compounds. Data from published and original studies were compared and summarized, and their clinical implications are discussed. In contrast to the cidal allylamines, static drugs such as azoles permit the occurrence of mutations in enzymes involved in ergosterol biosynthesis, and the ergosterol precursors accumulating as a consequence of azole action are not toxic. Azole antifungals, unlike allylamines, potentiate resistance development in dermatophytes.
Toe and Flow
Essential Components and Structure of the Amputation Prevention Team
At the end of an anatomical peninsula, the foot in diabetes is prone to short- and long-term complications involving neuropathy, vasculopathy, and infection. Effective management requires an interdisciplinary effort focusing on this triad. Herein, we describe the key factors leading to foot complications and the critical skill sets required to assemble a team to care for them. Although specific attention is given to a conjoined model involving podiatric medicine and vascular surgery, the so-called toe and flow model, we further outline three separate programmatic models of care—basic, intermediate, and center of excellence—that can be implemented in the developed and developing world. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 100(5): 342–348, 2010)
The surgical records of three podiatric physicians were reviewed to identify all chevron-type osteotomies performed during 2000–2001 for the correction of bunion deformity, and complications were reviewed for each. In the 95 cases identified, 15 complications occurred in 12 patients. Of these 15 complications, 4 were soft-tissue infections (4 patients), 4 were cases of painful hardware (3 patients), 4 were cases of second metatarsal head pain (2 patients), 2 were cases of cystic changes initially interpreted as osteomyelitis but later determined to be degenerative changes (2 patients), and 1 was a case of stiff toe (1 patient). There were no cases of avascular necrosis, hallux varus, or recurrence. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 93(6): 499-502, 2003)
The causes of late-onset pain after total ankle replacement (TAR) are various, and include infection, subsidence, polyethylene spacer failure, osteolysis, and wear. There are few reports of late-onset pain caused by gouty attacks after total knee and hip arthroplasty. In addition, no research has reported gouty attacks after total ankle arthroplasty. Therefore, we report a case of a gouty attack after total ankle replacement. A 43-year-old man presented with pain after total ankle arthroplasty performed 5 years previously. We found a white-yellow crystalline deposit within the synovial tissue during ankle arthroscopy, confirmed by histologic examination.
Background: Ingrowing toenail is a common condition treated by general surgeons. Our aim was to analyze the effectiveness of wedge resection with phenolization in the surgical treatment of ingrowing toenails.
Methods: We retrospectively audited 100 patients who underwent wedge resection with phenolization for the treatment of ingrowing toenail between January 2000 and June 2004 by a single surgeon. We reviewed all charts and attempted to contact all patients for a telephone interview to assess patient satisfaction. Outcome measures were: 1) recurrence rate, 2) duration of analgesic use, 3) postoperative complications including wound infection, 4) time to return to normal activities, and 5) satisfaction with the procedure.
Results: A total of 168 wedge resection with phenolization procedures were performed on 100 patients. There was only one recurrence (0.6%). Two patients (2%) had wound infection and were treated with oral antibiotics. The average time for a single wedge resection with phenolization procedure was 7.3 minutes. The mean time to return to normal activities was 2.1 weeks. The patient response rate for the telephone interview was 60%. Most respondents (93.3%) were satisfied with the overall outcome.
Conclusions: Wedge resection with phenolization is a very effective mode of therapy in the surgical treatment of ingrowing toenail, with a very low recurrence rate and minimal postoperative morbidity. Wedge resection with phenolization should be considered as a good alternative technique in the treatment of ingrowing toenail. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 98(2): 118–122, 2008)
Management of Grade III Open Dislocated Ankle Fractures
Combined Internal Fixation with Bioabsorbable Screws/Rods and External Fixation
Background:
Isolated dislocation of the ankle with grade III open fracture has been scarcely reported. These ankle injuries usually involved mortise fractures, complete dislocation of the tibial astragaloid joint, capsuloligamentous structure disruption, and severe soft-tissue damage. There is no well-recognized regimen that would result in desirable outcomes.
Methods:
Sixteen patients with grade III open dislocated ankle fractures were treated immediately with bioabsorbable implants and an external fixator between January 2003 and June 2007. According to the classification system of Gustilo and Anderson, five patients were grade IIIA, seven were grade IIIB, and four were grade IIIC. Surgical interventions included combined internal fixation with bioabsorbable screws/rods and external fixation.
Results:
Patients underwent clinical and radiologic examination at an average of 18.1 months after surgery. Outcomes were excellent in seven patients (three IIIA, three IIIB, and one IIIC), good in four (one IIIA, two IIIB, and one IIIC), fair in three (one IIIA, one IIIB, and one IIIC), and poor in two (one IIIB, and one IIIC). In the two patients with poor outcomes, bone defect and cartilage exfoliating in the distal tibia were found during surgery. Painful osteoarthritis in the ankle was discovered 2 years after surgery. Another case had pin tract infections in the external fixator 3 months after surgery. There was no case of late deep infection.
Conclusions:
It may be a reasonable and desirable option that bioabsorbable implants combined with an external fixator be applied for treatment of severe open dislocated ankle fractures. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 101(4): 307–315, 2011)
Background: A high rate of false-negative dermatophyte detection is observed when the most common laboratory methods are used. These methods include microscopic observation of potassium hydroxide–digested nail clippings and culture methods using agar-based media supplemented with cycloheximide, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin to isolate dermatophytes. Microscopic detection methods that use calcofluor white staining or periodic acid–Schiff staining may also be substituted for and have previously been reported to be more sensitive than potassium hydroxide–digested nail clippings.
Methods: Trichophyton rubrum infections were detected directly from nails in a double-round polymerase chain reaction assay that uses actin gene–based primers. This method was compared with detection of fungal hyphae by using calcofluor white fluorescence microscopy of nail samples collected from 83 patients with onychomycosis who were undergoing antifungal drug therapy.
Results: Twenty-six of 83 samples (31.3%) were found to be positive by calcofluor white fluorescence microscopy, and 21 of 83 samples (25.3%) yielded positive results for T rubrum when actin gene–based primers in a double-round polymerase chain reaction assay were used. When calcofluor white fluorescence microscopy and polymerase chain reaction assay were used, the combined detection was 46.9% compared with 31.3% when calcofluor microscopy and culture of nail samples on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar supplemented with cycloheximide, chloramphenicol, and gentamicin were used.
Conclusions: These results suggest that the use of a direct DNA protocol is an alternative method for detecting Trichophyton infections. When this protocol is used, the presence of T rubrum DNA is directly detected. However, the viability of the dermatophyte is not addressed, and further methods need to be developed for the detection of viable T rubrum directly from nail samples. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 98(3): 224–228, 2008)
