EXPAREL® (Long-Acting Liposomal Bupivacaine) Use for Popliteal Nerve Block in Postoperative Pain Control after Ankle Fracture Fixation.

EXPAREL® has been used successfully to prolong postoperative pain control when applied as a wound infiltrate. EXPAREL® has not yet been approved for use in regional anesthesia to prolong postoperative pain control. We conducted a clinical case series of 4 patients using EXPAREL® for sciatic blocks via the popliteal fossa approach.

Evaluation and Perioperative Management of the Diabetic Patient.

Diabetes mellitus is a devastating disease that has reached epidemic proportions. The surgical patient with diabetes is at increased risk for developing complications when compared with patients without diabetes. A comprehensive preoperative work-up must be performed, including ancillary studies, with optimization of the patient's glucose levels during the perioperative period to decrease the chance of developing surgical complications.

Pediatric heel pain.

Heel pain is a condition that is generally more common in the adult population. However, it is a condition that the foot and ankle specialist must be prepared to treat in pediatric patients. The insidious onset of heel pain in the pediatric patient can be an enigma to the foot and ankle specialist.

Strength of braided polyblend polyethylene sutures versus braided polyester sutures in Achilles tendon repair: a cadaveric study.

Background: Various techniques may be used to repair Achilles tendon ruptures; however, we contend that using the strongest suture with the least amount of suture material is ideal.

Methods: To compare the strength of 2-0 FiberLoop (Arthrex Inc, Naples, Florida) and #2 Ethibond (Ethicon Inc, Somerville, New Jersey) suture materials in Achilles tendon repairs, 12 Achilles tendons were harvested from cadavers aged 18 to 62 years (median age, 42 years). The tendons were transected and repaired using a modified Krackow suture technique.

Determining the strongest orientation for "Lisfranc's screw" in transverse plane tarsometatarsal injuries: a cadaveric study.

Unlabelled: The treatment of tarsometatarsal joint fracture-dislocations generally consists of realignment followed by stabilization with rigid internal fixation. The purpose of this study was to determine the strongest orientation for the "Lisfranc's screw" for repair of disruption of the articulation between the first and second metatarsals and the medial and intermediate cuneiforms. To this end, Lisfranc's ligament was sectioned in 6 pairs of fresh-frozen, human cadaver feet, after which a 3.

In-training examinations.

In-training are one way to evaluate the residents during their training. Currently, the American Board of Podiatric Surgery supplies the examination. Various residency directors were questioned regarding its use and importance.

Teaching during rounds.

Teaching rounds are a vital part of every residency program. Patient rounds provide an avenue to incorporate evidence-based medicine, current literature, and personal experiences into daily teaching while allowing residents to experience the doctor-patient relationship. Although time consuming, daily in-patient rounds are invaluable to any physician's training.

Tendon balancing in pedal amputations.

Pedal amputations are necessary procedures performed by a foot and ankle surgeon that may lead to gross positional deformities of the foot. To achieve a plantigrade foot, proper balancing of the foot is required often through the use of tendon transfers and lengthening. This article describes the basic tendon transfers needed to achieve a successful outcome when performing various pedal amputations.

Perioperative management of pedal amputations.

When performing a pedal amputation, proper preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care is essential for a successful outcome. This article outlines proper perioperative management for the amputation patient. All patients require appropriate medical management and testing before any surgical procedure; however, preoperative planning specific for the amputation patient also is required to determine the appropriate level of amputation and to provide an optimal result.

Capsular interposition for the Keller bunionectomy with the use of soft-tissue anchors.

The Keller procedure has been used during the past century for the treatment of first metatarsophalangeal joint pathology. Many modifications to the procedure have been made, including interposition of the joint capsule into the first metatarsophalangeal joint space. Capsular interposition is often the most difficult step in performing the Keller bunionectomy.