Can Diagnostic Ultrasound Help Us Break Free From Conservative Dogma About Plantar Fasciitis?

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
11/16/11 | 2140 reads | 0 comments
Have you been thinking about the histological composition of plantar fascia lately? It haunts me every clinic day. Why? It’s because we know so much about it. Yet professionally, we have not integrated this knowledge fully, not even fractionally in the clinical arena like I know we can. Read More.

Getting Psychiatric Help For Your Postoperative Surgeon Stress Syndrome

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
10/14/11 | 2516 reads | 1 comments
You are just your leaving clinic after seeing a passel of postoperative follow-ups and you cannot decide what is hurting you worst. Is it the soon to be festering wound from the gluteal mastication you just took from a patient because she still has some swelling seven weeks after a complex reconstruction and she is “really irritated” because she is unable to participate in her yoga class? Read More.

Breaking Out Of Our Comfort ‘Bubbles’

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
9/14/11 | 2279 reads | 0 comments
I hope to burst your bubble with this month’s epistle. Yeah, that’s right. You are living in a bubble, practicing your art within a bubble and, for that matter, you may be living your life in a bubble. If I can break your bubble, this may lead to a new bubble, which may be a little larger and even more comfortable than the one you are in right now. Read More.

What American Podiatrists Can Learn From Their Italian Counterparts

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
8/15/11 | 2367 reads | 0 comments
In last month’s blog, I wrote about an incredible learning experience in Modena, Italy and how a minimally invasive technique could improve patient care in those suffering from Achilles tendinopathy (see http://www.podiatrytoday.com/blogged/perfect-caper-pulling-minimally-inv... ). I have to continue on the Italian theme because there is so much more to share but this month, we will go a bit farther south in Rome. Read More.

The Perfect Caper: Pulling Off The Minimally Invasive Achilles Tendinopathy Surgery

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
7/11/11 | 2629 reads | 1 comments
With the adroit stealth and steeliness of a world-class bank robber, the surgeon slips the “garrote” atraumatically between the anterior surface of the Achilles tendon and the posterior aspect of Kager’s triangle. The implementer’s immense knowledge of the anatomical and histological terrain, perhaps greater than any other, allows him to completely avoid what most of his skilled contemporaries routinely and almost always seek during their mission. Read More.

Are You Injecting Steroids Into The Tarsal Tunnel For Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome?

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
6/20/11 | 4303 reads | 0 comments
I am seeing too many drug injection injuries of the tibial nerve at the level of the tarsal tunnel, especially in very young patients. If you do inject steroids into the tarsal tunnel for tarsal tunnel syndrome, I have to ask a simple question: Why? I know the answers are going to be: “because that’s what I learned in residency,” “that is the way I was taught,” “I want to treat it conservatively,” or something like “it’s a neuritis and I want to treat the inflammation.” Another common reason that I frequently hear is “because that’s the way they do it for carpal tunnel syndrome.” Read More.

Exploring The Potential Of Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
5/4/11 | 3889 reads | 0 comments
Over the last couple of decades, I am sure that every time I have had the honor to teach or lecture at a symposium, I have always received much more knowledge, skills, insight or motivation than I have ever imparted. This was the case two weeks ago, when I had the honor of speaking and participating in live cases in Seoul, South Korea at the International Stem Cell Conference. More than 500 surgeons from South Korea attended; most were either plastic or orthopedic surgeons. Read More.

Why The Association Of Extremity Nerve Surgeons Should Be A Clinical Interest Affiliate Group Of The APMA

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
3/10/11 | 2386 reads | 1 comments
I have been reading many of the current website/blog postings from different colleagues. Sadly, I sometimes get the impression that there is this pervasive and growing perception out there that there is more “wrong” than “right” with our profession. Some of this is simply due to the fact that no matter how great a situation is, some folks just have to complain or focus entirely on the negative. They can’t help themselves. Maybe they have a bump in their endorphin release with continued negativism? Who knows? Read More.

Balancing Our Hippocratic Oath With Risk Management Concerns In Problematic Patients

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
2/25/11 | 2560 reads | 0 comments
There is no surgeon who would not readily agree there is nothing more important than a great patient outcome. Call it that “karmic euphoric goodie” of receiving thanks — sometimes unspoken but powerfully demonstrated — from patients by seeing them relieved of the condition for which they sought your expertise. Read More.