News in Brief Misdiagnosis of foot and ankle injuries may result in complications JAOA review highlights importance of additional imaging, second opinions for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Jan. 31, 2017Tuesday AOA Staff Contact AOA Staff Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Topics JAOA The misdiagnosis of common foot and ankle injuries may result in poor long-term patient outcomes including arthritis, chronic pain and disability, according to the findings of a clinical review in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA). The review outlines subtleties that complicate identification and treatment of common foot and ankle injuries, including snowboarder’s fracture (lateral talar process fractures) as well as os trigonum injuries, Lisfranc injuries, turf toe, navicular stress fractures and syndesmotic injuries. The authors encourage physicians treating these injuries to err on the side of caution and opt for additional imaging or a second opinion from an orthopedic surgeon to confirm the initial diagnosis. “These types of trauma are a clinically significant source of morbidity and long-term disability among patients, not just those who are in elite athletes. In many cases, the clinical symptoms are vague and tough to detect with standard imaging,” says lead author Jessica Reissig, DO, of the Department of Orthopedics at Plainview Hospital in New York. Left untreated, snowboarder’s fractures, Lisfranc injuries and turf toe could lead to arthritis and have the potential to cause severe pain and disability years after the injury, Dr. Reissig says. Improper treatment of other foot and ankle traumas can result in compensation injuries and other issues, including tendinitis and recurrent ankle sprains. Seeking relief While in many cases these injuries can be resolved with a combination of medication, immobilization, ice and rest, some require surgical intervention. Elite athletes may also opt for surgery in order to resume their sport sooner, says co-author Adam Bitterman, DO, of the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine. “Once the diagnosis is confirmed, in many cases patients can be offered a range of treatment options, from conservative to surgical. Choosing the best treatment for the individual can prevent the injury from decreasing the patient’s future quality of life,” Dr. Bitterman explains. See the JAOA clinical review for more information about the findings. More in Patient Care Enhanced payment to support longitudinal care: The new E/M complexity add-on code G2211 The office/outpatient E/M visit complexity add-on code was established to improve payment for the time, intensity and practice expense resources involved when physicians furnish O/O E/M office visit services that enable them to build longitudinal relationships with patients. The dark side of semaglutide: Gastric emptying delays pose a risk when undergoing surgery Semaglutide, hailed as a weight loss miracle, is facing new scrutiny over the potential risks to patients who are taking it and undergoing medical procedures. Previous articleJames M. Andriole, DO, earns AAOE award for lifetime achievement Next articleER doc and Ultimate Men's Health Guy returns from teaching ultrasound in Peru
Enhanced payment to support longitudinal care: The new E/M complexity add-on code G2211 The office/outpatient E/M visit complexity add-on code was established to improve payment for the time, intensity and practice expense resources involved when physicians furnish O/O E/M office visit services that enable them to build longitudinal relationships with patients.
The dark side of semaglutide: Gastric emptying delays pose a risk when undergoing surgery Semaglutide, hailed as a weight loss miracle, is facing new scrutiny over the potential risks to patients who are taking it and undergoing medical procedures.
As a (retired) radiologist, disappointing not to see any images in the article. I believe these would have been of assistance to all physicians, no matter the specialty. Feb. 2, 2017, at 9:56 am Reply
My thoughts as well. Not only lack of radiographs, but lack of specificity of data. It’s written too general and broad, like a CNN article, not a medical journal for physicians. Great subject! Wish it were more complete. Feb. 16, 2017, at 8:27 am Reply