ECSWT has been on the medical horizon for last 30 years mainly in urology for urolithiasis and has found a parallel use in orthopaedics for various chronic soft tissue conditions like Tendoachilles tendinoses and plantar fasciitis etc. ECSWT acts a piezoelectric device releasing acoustic energy and causing micro-trauma activating cytokine mediated response stimulating local angiogenesis and tissue repair. Methodology. 56 patients were recruited for the trial after ethics approval was achieved. The diagnosis was confirmed with ultrasound scan and measuring the width of the swelling and the local hypervascularity. The cohort of the patients was randomised in groups for physiotherapy [n=23] and shockwave therapy [n= 23]. The patient groups with shockwave therapy received a 3-week treatment with typical 2000 impulses per session once a week and physiotherapy group was subjected to eccentric loading exercises. Patients were assessed at 12 week with AOFAS, VISA-A scores and repeat ultrasound scan. Results. The average age of the average age was 51 years [36- 73 years] Mean duration of symptoms prior to treatment was 25 months (range 6-60 months). AOFAS scores increased in both groups: from 64□86 in the ECSWT group and 72□79 in the physiotherapy group. VISA-A scores also increased in both groups from 39□73 in the ECSWT group and from 36□56 in the physiotherapy group. Scores were significantly higher in the ECWST group post treatment. The ultrasound scan findings suggested the tendon girth receding from 10.9 mm□9.9 mm in physiotherapy group while 9.8 mm□8.7 mm in the ECSWT group with hypervascularity decreasing from marked to mild in both groups. Statistical significance was established using SPSS 16 p < 0.001in post treatment group. Conclusion. Clinically significant improvement was found in the patients treated with ECSWT as compared to the physiotherapy sessions while radiological evidence showed parallel improvement in both the groups

Fusion remains the standard of care and is associated with a high satisfaction rate. But.… fusion generally requires 6 weeks of restricted weight bearing or immobilization. Potential problems include 1) nonunion, 2) malunion, 3) sesamoid pain (from DJD), 4) late onset IP1 DJD. Complete joint replacement has been performed with a number of different designs since the early 1970's. The metal and poly designed implants are associated with a high failure rate, presumably from high shear loads, eccentric axial loads, poor fixation and bone stock problems. Resurfacing of both sides of the joint with a one piece silicone based crosslinked rubber {“silastic”} in rheumatoid patients appears to function better with use of metal grommets to reduce generation of particle debris and foreign body reaction. These silastic implants are still used by surgeons in select low-demand rheumatoid patients. Salvage after failure of any of these total joint replacements can be challenging because of loss of bone stock. 3 other methods are used to resurface the joint in severe OA: 1) resurfacing the proximal phalangeal side only, 2) resurfacing the metatarsal head only and 3) resurfacing the joint with and interposition arthroplasty. 1) advantage of the proximal phalangeal side resurfacing is simplicity of geometry; the disadvantage is disruption of the FHB attachment and the relative scarcity of severe cartilage damage at that side of the joint. 2) Advantage of the metatarsal head side for resurfacing is that is the typical location of the arthritic change; the disadvantage is potential interference with the sesamoid complex and bulkiness of fixation could lead to a more difficult salvage. 3) The advantage of interposition arthroplasty is the maintenance of bone stock; disadvantages include inconsistent local tissue and somewhat less predictable outcomes. In this talk I will focus primarily on the technique and results of a proximal phalangeal resurfacing approach for OA of the MTP1 joint

In recent years, the plantaris tendon has been implicated in the development of chronic painful mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy. In some cases, a thickened plantaris tendon is closely associated with the Achilles tendon, and surgical excision of the plantaris tendon has been reported to be curative in patients who have not derived benefit following conservative treatment and surgical interventions.

The aim of this review is to outline the basic aspects of, and the recent research findings, related to the plantaris tendon, covering anatomical and clinical studies including those dealing with histology, imaging and treatment.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1312–19.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change in sagittal tibiotalar alignment after total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) for osteoarthritis and to investigate factors affecting the restoration of alignment.

This retrospective study included 119 patients (120 ankles) who underwent three component TAA using the Hintegra prosthesis. A total of 63 ankles had anterior displacement of the talus before surgery (group A), 49 had alignment in the normal range (group B), and eight had posterior displacement of the talus (group C). Ankles in group A were further sub-divided into those in whom normal alignment was restored following TAA (41 ankles) and those with persistent displacement (22 ankles). Radiographic and clinical results were assessed.

Pre-operatively, the alignment in group A was significantly more varus than that in group B, and the posterior slope of the tibial plafond was greater (p < 0.01 in both cases). The posterior slope of the tibial component was strongly associated with restoration of alignment: ankles in which the alignment was restored had significantly less posterior slope (p < 0.001).

An anteriorly translated talus was restored to a normal position after TAA in most patients. We suggest that surgeons performing TAA using the Hintegra prosthesis should aim to insert the tibial component at close to 90° relative to the axis of the tibia, hence reducing posterior soft-tissue tension and allowing restoration of normal tibiotalar alignment following surgery.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1525–32.

We report the incidence and intensity of persistent pain in patients with an otherwise uncomplicated total ankle replacement (TAR). Arthroscopic debridement was performed in selected cases and the clinical outcome was analysed.

Among 120 uncomplicated TARs, there was persistent pain with a mean visual analogue scale (VAS) of 2.7 (0 to 8). The intensity of pain decreased in 115 ankles (95.8%). Exercise or walking for more than 30 minutes was the most common aggravating factor (62 ankles, 68.1%). The character of the pain was most commonly described as dull (50 ankles, 54.9%) and located on the medial aspect of the joint (43 ankles, 47.3%).

A total of seven ankles (5.8%) underwent subsequent arthroscopy. These patients had local symptoms and a VAS for pain ≥ 7 on exertion. Impingement with fibrosis and synovitis was confirmed. After debridement, the median VAS decreased from 7 to 3 and six patients were satisfied. The median VAS for pain and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score of the ankles after debridement was similar to that of the uncomplicated TARs (p = 0.496 and p = 0.066, respectively).

Although TAR reduces the intensity of pain, residual pain is not infrequent even in otherwise uncomplicated TARs and soft-tissue impingement is the possible cause.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:378–83.

A total of 80 patients with an acute rupture of tendo Achillis were randomised to operative repair using an open technique (39 patients) or non-operative treatment in a cast (41 patients). Patients were followed up for one year. Outcome measures included clinical complications, range of movement of the ankle, the Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA), and muscle function dynamometry evaluating dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of the ankle. The primary outcome measure was muscle dynamometry.

Re-rupture occurred in two of 37 patients (5%) in the operative group and four of 39 (10%) in the non-operative group, which was not statistically significant (p = 0.68). There was a slightly greater range of plantar flexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle in the operative group at three months which was not statistically significant, but at four and six months the range of dorsiflexion was better in the non-operative group, although this did not reach statistically significance either. After 12 weeks the peak torque difference of plantar flexion compared with the normal side was less in the operative than the non-operative group (47% vs 61%, respectively, p < 0.005). The difference declined to 26% and 30% at 26 weeks and 20% and 25% at 52 weeks, respectively. The difference in dorsiflexion peak torque from the normal side was less than 10% by 26 weeks in both groups, with no significant differences. The mean SMFA scores were significantly better in the operative group than the non-operative group at three months (15 vs 20, respectively, p < 0.03). No significant differences were observed after this, and at one year the scores were similar in both groups.

We were unable to show a convincing functional benefit from surgery for patients with an acute rupture of the tendo Achillis compared with conservative treatment in plaster.