DPM Blogs

Is The First MPJ Arthrodesis Underutilized For Severe Bunion Deformities?

Patrick DeHeer DPM FACFAS
12/20/12 | 2077 reads | 1 comments
I admit that I am a perfectionist—almost to a fault. This is a good thing if you are a surgeon but if you are trying to organize your bookshelf or your digital pictures, it is tedious. I expect perfect results when I do surgery while also striving for perfection in my everyday life. Read More.

Off-Label Drug Promotion: Coming Soon?

Warren S. Joseph DPM FIDSA
12/18/12 | 1665 reads | 0 comments
The U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled to prohibit criminal prosecution for truthful off-label promotion of drugs as a First Amendment right. An excellent analysis of the case by the law firm of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius is available at: http://tinyurl.com/bv5xase . I direct anyone interested to read this summary. I will not go into details but rather discuss how this may affect antibiotics and lower extremity infections. Read More.

The Dangers Of ‘Declaring’ Diagnoses

Allen Jacobs DPM FACFAS
12/17/12 | 1209 reads | 0 comments
The phrase “Well, I declare” is humorous when heard on television or movie entertainment portraying a stereotypical southerner. My friend and accomplished former college and podiatry school (for my colleagues who prefer to say they attended medical school, I apologize — I went to podiatry school) classmate, Marty Pressman, DPM, once commented to me that the best part of being an orthopedist is that you can “declare” a diagnosis without the necessity of certain things, such as — oh, for instance — facts. Read More.

When It Comes To Incisions, Less Is More

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
12/13/12 | 1752 reads | 1 comments
"Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore, they are known as Famine, Pestilence, Destruction and Death. These are only aliases.” However, the four that I know are different from those in Grantland Rice’s 1924 New York Herald Tribune article. Those horsemen haunting me are Bias, Ms. Perception, Dogma and Evidenced Based (EB). These four evildoers of lore are opposite in spirit of the original four horsemen but just as passionate — and they are not aliases. Read More.

Establishing SMART Goals For 2013 And Beyond

Lynn Homisak PRT
12/11/12 | 1237 reads | 0 comments
When I think of direction, I am reminded of the story of Alice in Wonderland. If you recall, during her travels she arrived at a fork in the road. She stopped and looked around but didn’t know which way to continue. “What road do I take?” she asked Cheshire Cat, who happened to be sitting in a nearby tree. “Well,” said the Cat, “That all depends. Where is it that you want to end up?” “I don’t know,” replied Alice, to which the Cat responded, “Then it really doesn’t matter what road you choose.” Read More.

What The Affordable Care Act Means For Wound Care Practitioners

Desmond Bell DPM CWS FACCWS
12/10/12 | 1611 reads | 1 comments
The 2012 presidential election has passed. Gone with it is any chance that I would expand my practice in the foreseeable future. Read More.

How To Ensure A More Accurate Diagnosis Of Achilles Tendon Disorders

William Fishco DPM FACFAS
12/5/12 | 2391 reads | 2 comments
Patients commonly complain about pain in the region of their Achilles tendon. Through a careful examination and patient history, one may diagnose more than one condition that can be inter-related. Rather than simply diagnosing the problem as an “Achilles tendinitis” or a “heel spur,” practitioners can provide a more accurate diagnosis and ultimately an appropriate treatment protocol through a more straightforward examination. Read More.

Why I Always Prescribe Full-Width Foot Orthotics For Overweight Patients

Larry Huppin DPM
12/4/12 | 1865 reads | 2 comments
I just saw a prescription come into ProLab Orthotics from a new client. The doctor noted on the prescription form that the patient had plantar fasciitis and weighed 280 pounds. Her prescription was for a Featherweight orthosis (a functional orthoses made from medium density EVA). She also ordered a standard cast fill and a standard width. Read More.

Podiatric Dermatology Quiz: What Is Your Diagnosis Of This Lesion?

Tracey Vlahovic DPM
12/3/12 | 1969 reads | 4 comments
Can you identify the lesion in the photo on the left? Read More.