Search Results
Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is a rare, autosomal recessive, lipid storage disease with accumulation of cholestanol in most tissues, particularly in the Achilles tendons. We described a 23-year-old female patient who had progressive painfull swelling of both Achilles tendons due to cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis. We performed surgery on both-side Achilles tendon tumors. Wide degenerative areas of the tendons were resected, and the flexor hallucis longus tendon was harvested and transferred to reconstruct motion function.
Spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture associated with long-term oral steroid use is not uncommon, particularly in older patients who use these drugs daily to treat systemic diseases. Rupture often results in a large defect, which complicates surgical repair. The authors review Achilles tendon rupture associated with systemic and local steroid use and present a case of rupture due to chronic oral steroid use in a patient with Addison’s disease. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 92(6): 355-358, 2002)
Background
Tendinopathies are common musculoskeletal disorders that often develop because of chronic loading and failed healing. Tendinopathy related to systemic inflammation has been less extensively examined. Furthermore, although the use of biological agents to treat tendinopathies continues to gain popularity, the use of amniotic fluid–derived allografts in outpatient settings to resolve tendinopathies requires further evaluation.
Methods
The focus of this case report is a 25-year-old man who presented for a second opinion, having been diagnosed with Haglund deformity and Achilles tendinopathy. At the time of presentation, he complained of 10 of 10 pain to the right Achilles tendon. He was treating the injury conservatively with intermittent use of a controlled ankle motion boot and working with physiotherapy for approximately 5 months before presentation. Diagnostic ultrasound along with magnetic resonance imaging indicated distal thickening of the Achilles tendon, substantial fluid and edema in the Kager fat pad, and retrocalcaneal erosions with bursitis. Conservative management did not resolve the symptoms. As an alternative to surgery, the patient elected to undergo an Achilles tendon injection of an amniotic fluid–derived allograft. Before and after the initial injection, a microdialysis catheter was inserted into the Achilles peritendinous space to sample local levels of extracellular matrix enzymes and growth factors important for tendon remodeling. The patient received considerable relief with the initial injection, but did not return to full strength. Over the subsequent 8 weeks, the patient was followed closely and was able to return to daily activities with minimal pain. He was not able to return to a more active lifestyle without further Achilles pain, so a second amniotic fluid–derived allograft injection was performed 8 weeks after the initial injection.
Results
Injection of the initial allograft resulted in significant improvement, but not complete resolution of pain and swelling. Microdialysis findings suggested a reduction in peritendinous levels of the cytokine interlukin-6 in addition to changes in extracellular matrix regulatory enzymes. After 8 weeks of additional conservative therapy and a second injection, no further improvement in pain was noted.
Conclusions
Based on the clinical improvement of symptoms in this individual and the changes seen with microdialysis methodology, the authors find the use of amniotic fluid–derived allograft injection for treatment of Achilles pain in this patient to be a viable treatment. Additional comorbidities of systemic inflammatory polyarthritis and possible seronegative disease were addressed after rheumatology consultation with a variety of medications that provided the patient additional relief of his symptoms. The patient ultimately moved and was lost to further follow-up.
Fluoroquinolones have been associated with tendinopathies. The authors present three cases of Achilles tendinopathy in which the patients’ symptoms were preceded by treatment for unrelated bacterial infections with ciprofloxacin. Although the exact mechanism of the relationship is not understood, those who engage in sports or exercise should be advised of the risk of quinolone-induced tendinopathy. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 93(4): 333-335, 2003)
Stiff equinocavus foot deformities are challenging clinical entities that may be treated with osteotomies and extensive soft-tissue release. The most common causes of such lesions are neglected trauma and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease; other causes include burns, neurologic diseases, and compartment leg syndrome. Conventional treatments, including extensive soft-tissue release, osteotomies, and arthrodesis combined with or without internal splinting, may result in severe complications such as neurovascular or soft-tissue damage and shortening of the foot. The Ilizarov technique may be superior to the traditional approach, because it allows surgeons to apply gradual and titrated correction of individual components of complex deformities and results in minimal surgical morbidity without shortening of the foot. This is the first case report in the literature describing the simultaneous use of Cole osteotomy, combined with external Ilizarov hinged frame fixation, soft-tissue release, and Achilles tendon lengthening for the treatment of an extreme neglected stiff equinocavus foot deformity.
A rare case of painful snapping around the Achilles tendon without reported injury in a healthy 30-year-old male amateur runner is reported. The plantaris tendon was firmly attached to the Achilles tendon by adhesions, and its movement was restricted and impaired. All adhesions were removed and the plantaris tendon was liberated during surgery, with an excellent outcome. This case showed that previously described removal of the snapping tendon is not necessary because liberation of the plantaris tendon restored function of both the plantaris and the Achilles tendons.
The Treatment of Complex Motorcycle Spoke Injuries in Children
A Report of Four Cases and Literature Review
Motorcycle spoke injuries involving the soft tissue, Achilles tendon, and calcaneal defects are rare in children. Currently, calcaneal defects are very challenging to treat. Multiple methods have been used in clinical practice; however, an effective treatment has yet to be established, especially when Achilles tendon and soft-tissue defects are also present. It is important to address this condition, because the calcaneus plays a key role in standing and gait. Unsatisfactory treatment of calcaneal defects may significantly decrease patients' quality of life (eg, by limiting mobility). In this article, we report the effective treatment of calcaneal defects in four children using distraction osteogenesis with an external fixator framework designed by the authors. From May 2014 to May 2015, four children (age range, 6–11 years) with defects of the Achilles tendon, soft tissue, and calcaneus resulting from a motorcycle accident were treated at our hospital. The Achilles tendon and soft-tissue defects were treated with second-stage reconstruction. In the third-stage surgery, osteotomy of the residual calcaneus was performed. A customized external fixator was used to lengthen the calcaneus at a rate of 1.5 mm/day in the posterior direction and reposition it by 40° in the inferior direction. In all four children, the calcaneus was lengthened by 5 cm. Distraction osteogenesis through external fixation is effective for restoring the length, width, and height of the calcaneus in children.
To Cipro or Not to Cipro
Bilateral Achilles Ruptures with the Use of Quinolones
Ciprofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones are commonly used broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents for treating bacterial infections. This class of antibiotic drugs has uncommon adverse effects that include tendonitis, tendon ruptures, and other tendon abnormalities. We describe a patient with spontaneous bilateral complete Achilles tendon rupture after ciprofloxacin treatment. Surgical repair was performed successfully, and the patient completed physical rehabilitation without incident. Care should be exercised when selecting pharmaceutical agents to maintain a positive benefit-to-risk balance.
Tendinopathy in the presence of gouty arthropathy is relatively common, yet the clinical suspicion for gout involvement in acute tendon pain remains low. A 49-year-old man presented with an acute, tender, erythematous mass to the right posterior heel. A computed tomographic scan was obtained, which revealed a septated fluid collection superficial to the Achilles tendon. The patient was taken to the operating room for an incision and drainage with debridement, and the abscess was found to be filled with caseous material. The diagnosis of gout was confirmed with pathology. The calcaneus was submitted to biopsy, and the results were negative for osteomyelitis. The patient was returned to the operating room for repair of the Achilles tendon with flexor hallucis longus tendon transfer. Postoperatively, the patient was nonweightbearing for 6 weeks. Oral colchicine was used perioperatively, and a steroid taper was administered. The patient was started on allopurinol and colchicine for chronic treatment. At 14 months, the patient was walking without pain or recurrence of the mass. Although the relationship between hyperuricemia and tendinopathy is not completely understood, it is apparent that tendon involvement may be a sequela in patients with gout. When a patient presents with acute tendon pain, gout should be considered in the differential diagnosis.
Angioleiomyomas are benign tumefactions that originate from smooth muscle in vascular structures and are difficult to definitively diagnose preoperatively. Although these lesions are rarely encountered in the foot, the lower extremity is the most common site of occurrence. An angioleiomyoma typically manifests as a small, painful, solitary, mobile lesion. This case report describes a lateral retromalleolar para–Achilles tendon insertional location for a moderately sized immobile solid tumefaction in the subcutaneous tissues. The lesion was nonpainful and progressively enlarged over 5 years. An excisional biopsy was performed, and the nodular lesion was subsequently diagnosed histopathologically as an angioleiomyoma. Owing to the ambiguous nature of the clinical findings, angioleiomyoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of lower-extremity soft-tissue manifestations.
