Podiatry Today Current Issue

Learning About Surgeons From A Narcissistic Cat

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

One of my most valuable fixed assets is my old cat Bob. He is actually my son’s cat. My son asked if we would watch Bob while he explored the world for a few months. That was nine years ago. Bob is a narcissist. He has all of the narcissistic personality traits. He is exploitative, grandiose, preoccupied with success, feels unique, feels entitled, seeks admiration, lacks empathy, is envious and is hypersensitive to criticism.

Bob’s behavior is often disruptive to the rest of the family pets, which have all run away at this point. There is not a thing

What About Cryosurgery For Interdigital Neuritis?

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

Babak Baravarian, DPM, first of all, I want to say I always find your articles very educational and informative. As a CryoStar cryoanalgesic certified podiatrist with over 100 clinical cases under my wings, I wanted to add my spin on interdigital neuritis to your perspective (see “How To Diagnose And Treat Interdigital Neuritis,” page 67, January issue).

The use of cyroablation for treatment of Morton’s neuromas received FDA approval in June of 2003. With my colleague, Lawrence Fallat, DPM, and the other 19 CryoStar surgeons, we have treated well o

New Products

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

A Step Toward A Perfect Fit

The newest product for digital foot scanning expands on previously developed technology.

The iStep Footwear Integration Technology (FIT) expands on the iStep Pressure Plate, a computer system that measures arch type and pressure points as a patient walks, according to Apex Foot Health Industries, the manufacturer of both products.

The company’s patented FIT is particularly valuable in retail as the technology allows one to categorize patients based on their foot measurements, arch types and

Exploring Limb Salvage Options In Patients With Chronic Limb Ischemia

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

Chronic critical limb ischemia has been defined as a non-healing ulceration or gangrene of the foot or toes, and/or rest pain that requires regular use of analgesics.¹ These patients will require some type of intervention to resolve their condition. It can be particularly challenging to salvage the limb of a patient who has failed a bypass. The objective of revascularization is to augment blood flow to allow for wound healing and avoid major amputation resulting in the need for a prosthesis.

Amputation of one or more digits or even transmetatar

A Guide To Understanding And Treating Lateral Column Pain

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

Problems with the lateral column are more common than we believe. Although there is a great deal of understanding of medial column problems and their solutions, there is not as much information on lateral column symptoms, causes and treatment options. With this in mind, let us take a closer look at these potential symptoms and treatment options that our institute has found helpful for such problems.

A typical patient may have an equinus and pain in the lateral foot and ankle. The pain is localized to the rearfoot and lateral ankle with tenderness along th

What You Should Know About NSAIDs

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

The potential side effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including COX-2 inhibitors, have been well documented recently. The highly publicized Public Health Advisory from the Food and Drug Administration on celecoxib (Celebrex) and rofecoxib (Vioxx) has increased the discussion about the safety of such agents. What types of side effects should one be wary of with NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors, and what screening precautions can one take?

Nicholas Grumbine, DPM, has seen gastrointestinal (GI) difficulties and bleeding in patients taking

Essential Insights On Hallux Valgus

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

Back when I left the didactic world of podiatry school and entered my residency, I was ready for a transition that would blend the books with practice. Of course, the first two surgeries I performed did not fit the mold. The first one was a cartilage articulation preservation procedure (CAPP) and the other was a Keller procedure.

The CAPP procedure was familiar to me only in books and the Keller seemed “outdated.” To my surprise, both surgeries turned out well and gave me an appreciation that diverse types of procedures can have a good outcome when t

Key Insights On Selecting Wound Care Modalities

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

While there is quite an array of choices when it comes to choosing appropriate wound care modalities for lower-extremity wounds, there is not, as one panelist points out, a lot of published evidence for guidance. With this in mind, our expert panelists discuss a variety of wound care scenarios and how their clinical experience guides their decision-making on dressings and debriding agents.

Q: Given the multitude of wound care dressings available, how do you narrow down your choice of wound dressings?

A: Eric Espensen, DPM, and

MRSA: Where Do We Go From Here?

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

Foot ulcers are a major predictor of future lower limb amputations. Fourteen to 24 percent of patients with diabetes with foot ulcers eventually require an amputation and more than 60 percent of nontraumatic lower extremity amputations occur in those with diabetes.^1,2 Although risk factors may vary, the majority of diabetes-related amputations result from peripheral arterial disease, peripheral neuropathy or infection.³

The healthcare costs associated with diabetic foot infections are staggering. In an analysis of medical and pharmac

Current And Emerging Options For Treating Diabetic Neuropathy

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:01:44 -0400

Neuropathy is a common and debilitating complication of diabetes mellitus. According to data compiled by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA), roughly 60 to 70 percent of the 18.2 million Americans with diabetes will develop some form of diabetic neuropathy and about 3 million patients with diabetes will experience painful neuropathy.

There are three broad types of neuropathy (sensory, motor and autonomic) associated with diabetes. Sensory neuropathy is the most prevalent