Surgical Treatment for Recurrent Dupuytren Disease

Background: Revision procedures for recurrent Dupuytren disease (DD) can be difficult and carry a high risk of complications. Our goal was to describe surgical strategies used for cases of recurrence and report on their outcomes. Methods: We reviewed 1 surgeon’s operative cases for recurrent DD performed at 1 institution. Prior procedures included collagenase injection, percutaneous needle fasciotomy, or open surgical fasciectomy in the same digit or area of the hand. Results: From January 1981 to December 2020, 54 procedures were performed on 33 patients for recurrent DD. Most patients were men (82%), had bilateral involvement (64%) and family history (52%), and some had ectopic disease in their feet (24%). The small finger was involved in 76% of the cases, and the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint was involved in 83% of these digits. The procedures included 38 partial fasciectomies (72%), 12 dermofasciectomies (23%), 3 radical fasciectomies (6%), 1 of each needle fasciotomy, ray amputation, and PIP joint arthrodesis (2%). Twenty-three patients (43%) required full thickness skin grafts with an average area of 7.1 cm2 (range: 1-20 cm2). Conclusions: This study highlights the complexity of recurrent DD case management and found the treatment required for 95% of patients in this series was open partial fasciectomy with or without demofasciectomy. Full thickness skin grafting was necessary in nearly half of the cases.

Common late complications of longitudinal forefoot amputations in neuropathic foot treatment

Objective: To describe and quantify the complications arising in consecutive neuropathic patients undergoing partial longitudinal amputations of the foot. Method: A retrospective study was conducted with data collected from the medical records of patients monitored at the Insensitive Foot Clinic of the Foot and Ankle Group of our institution who underwent partial amputation of foot rays from 2000 to 2016. Results: A total of 28 patients met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 31 amputated/partially amputated feet. Of these, 18 (58.1%) feet were amputated/partially amputated due to diabetes, seven (22.6%) due to leprosy, two (6.5%) due to alcoholic neuropathy, two (6.5%) secondary to traumatic peripheral nerve injury, and two (6.5%) due to other causes. Fifth ray amputation was the most frequent type (n=12). The cause of amputation was the presence of an infected ulcer in 93.6% of the samples. At a mean follow-up time of 60 months, 13 (41.9%) feet required new amputations—five (38.5%) transtibial, five (38.5%) transmetatarsal, two (15.4%) of the toes, and one (7.7%) at Chopart's joint. Patients with diabetes had a 50.0% reamputation rate. Patients who initially underwent amputation of the fifth ray had a 58.3% reamputation rate. Conclusion: Partial longitudinal amputation of the foot in neuropathic patients exhibited a high reoperation rate, especially in patients with diabetes or in patients with initial amputation of the peripheral rays. Declaration of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Giant Cell Tumor (GCT) of the Third Metatarsal in an Elderly Patient: A Rare Case Report

Introduction: Giant cell tumour (GCT) is a benign osteolytic, locally aggressive lesion. Seen in young adults at the epiphysis. The most common site is long bones (85-90%). GCT of the metatarsal in elderly patients is very rare. Case Report: A 60-year-old male came with complaints of pain and swelling over right foot dorsal aspect since for the last past one 1 year. There was no history of trauma. X-ray foot showed an osteolytic lesion in the right third metatarsal with thinning of the cortex. MRI and fine-needle aspiration cytology confirmed the diagnosis of GCT. The patient was managed by excision with the 3rd ray amputation. At present, 1.5 years follow-up, the patient is having no pain, difficulty in walking and no evidence of clinical and radiological recurrence . Conclusion: Giant cell tumours could also present at uncommon sites, and they should be considered in the differential diagnosis of lytic lesions of the metatarsals. Excision with ray amputation of the involved metatarsal helps in complete removal of the lesion and helps in early weight-bearing. This is the viable alternative treatment option in managing the metatarsal GCT in elderly patients. Keywords: Giant cell tumour, third metatarsal, ray amputation.

Radial fillet flap following double ray amputation of the 2nd and 3rd fingers for invasive squamous cell carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

Double ray amputation of the hand due to malignancy is extremely rare, with a paucity of published cases. We reviewed the literature and analysed our own experience in order to familiarise clinicians with this rare condition through a discussion of its diagnosis, management and prognosis. We present the case of a 54-year-old male with invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the 2nd web space. He underwent a double ray amputation of the 2nd and 3rd fingers with a radial fillet flap and has begun range of motion exercises after six weeks. SCC of the hand requiring a double ray amputation is extremely rare. An MRI is required to accurately diagnose and manage this condition. The ray amputation technique is important for ensuring negative margins. A fillet flap should be used to close the defect as it provides a sensate web-space and improves motor function prognosis.

A review of the TOPHAT (Turned-down Onto Pericapsular-tissue Hemisectioned Amputated Toe) filleted toe flap technique for wound coverage during ray amputations

Background: Wound healing post ray amputation for toe gangrene is commonly complicated by adjacent digital loss after applying Topical Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (TNPWT). This is either due to mechanical soft tissue erosion or trauma to the adjacent digital artery from direct pressure effect. This ultimately results in exposure of the adjacent Metatarsal-Phalangeal Joint (MTPJ) with eventual gangrene and a larger wound bed, thus mandating further ray amputation and subsequently enlarge the wound bed. We describe the use of the TOPHAT filleted toe flap technique – a combination of a filleted toe flap to protect the adjacent MTPJ capsule and a novel Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with instillation and dwell-time (NPWTi-d) dressing technique. The fillet flap protects the adjacent joint capsule and reduce the wound burden whilst allowing the wound to benefit from TNPWT, thereby accelerating wound healing. Methods: We conducted a prospective review of patients with toe gangrene requiring ray amputations who underwent the TOPHAT filleted toe flap technique in our institution from 2019 and 2020. Complications such as wound dehiscence, hematoma, flap necrosis and secondary infection were recorded. Other outcomes recorded were time taken to final skin grafting and time taken for complete wound epithelialisation. Results: 9 patients underwent treatment with the TOPHAT filleted toe flap technique between 2019 and 2020. 2 patients had minimal tip necrosis of the flap which required minor debridement. All except 2 patients whom declined further treatment, progressed to definitive skin coverage with skin grafting. One patient had progressive arterial disease despite successful skin grafting and required above knee amputation. The mean time to final skin grafting was 49.5 days post-operatively and the mean time to final wound epithelialisation was 107.5 days post-operatively. Patients were all satisfied with the outcomes and were able to return to pre-morbid function. Conclusions: The TOPHAT filleted toe flap technique has a consistent vascular supply that provides durable soft tissue coverage. It is a robust and easily reproducible technique to accelerate wound healing after ray amputations even in patients with peripheral vascular disease.

Group B Streptococcus Infected Tenosynovitis in Diabetic Foot Ulcers

Category: Diabetes; Other Introduction/Purpose: The incidence of Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) infection in diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) has been on the rise. Severe soft tissue damage, which often leads to septicemia and amputation, has been reported in many cases. With the paucity of literature, we aimed to investigate the clinical outcome of GBS infected DFU patients. We hypothesize that GBS patients have a greater severity of infection as indicated by elevated inflammatory markers, more frequent wound complication, and a higher rate of unplanned readmission and reoperation. Methods: Data was retrospectively collected in a single academic orthopedic surgeon’s practice from February 2015 to October 2019. Seventy-eight patients with infected DFUs who underwent surgical treatment formed the basis of this study. Infected bone samples were obtained intraoperatively and sent for standard culture. The microbe data, demographic data (age, gender, race, ethnicity, and BMI), comorbidities, and initial lab values (HgA1C, CRP, ESR, WBC, and glucose) were recorded for all patients. Sixteen GBS infected DFU patients (20.5%) were identified. Among them, GBS infection occurred in 9 acute (<2 wks), 2 subacute (4-6 wks), and 5 chronic (>6 wks) DFUs. Clinical outcome was assessed by surgical outcome, wound healing status, post-operative complications, unplanned readmission, and unplanned reoperation within 3 months following initial surgery. Mean, standard deviation, percentage and range were calculated for patient demographics and inflammatory markers. Statistical significance of inflammatory markers between patients with and without GBS was also calculated. Results: The initial procedures were irrigation and debridement (n=11), toe amputation (n=1), ray amputation (n=2), transmetatarsal amputation (n=1), and a partial calcanectomy (n=1). Five GBS patients (31.3%), as compared to eighteen (29%) DFU patients without GBS, developed post-surgical complications (wound dehiscence, recurrent infection, septicemia) which required unplanned readmission and reoperation. Repeat operations were irrigation and debridement (n=1), metatarsal ray amputation (n=1), ray amputation (n=1), and below knee amputation (n=2) with average number of 2 repeat operations (range: 1 - 5). Hemoglobin A1C (p=.0067) was statistically higher in GBS patients. When comparing acute GBS ulcers (n=9) and acute ulcers without GBS (n=18), CRP (p=.037), HgA1C (p=.026), and blood glucose (p=.046) were all found to be significantly higher in patients with GBS DFUs. Conclusion: GBS infected DFU patients generally showed more extensive and severe soft tissue inflammation, as indicated by higher inflammatory markers at initial presentation. Compared to other patients with DFUs, GBS patients had significantly higher HgA1C values, and in those experiencing acute ulcers, had higher CRP, HgA1C, and blood glucose values. They have higher rates of post-operative complications that required unplanned readmission and reoperation at more proximal level. Surgeons should consider time sensitive and aggressive surgical treatment for GBS infected DFUs and counsel patients on the high risk of post- operative complications and repeat surgery. [Table: see text]