• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.116-119
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• 2006

Management of chronic wound has been a great problem to many surgeons because the wound is usually associated with an underlying disease of the patient. Without accurate diagnosis and treatment of the disease, the wound can not be healed. Systemic vasculitis is a rare systemic disease which causes inflammation and obstruction of the vessels. This autoimmune disease involves multiple organs and may inflict skin wound spontaneously without traumas. It would improve or aggravate the wound in proportion to the activities of the disease. Our experience is a case of 28-year-old female who has had chronic ulcers on her right foot, especially on the great toe for 1 year. Although she had several operations of sympathectomy, debridement and artificial dermal graft, her wound was not improved. She has been diagnosed as systemic vasculitis during the evaluation for histopathology and cause of fever and pancytopenia. After medical treatments, she had the operation of adipofascial turnover flap coverage and skin graft, and the wound was improved without any complication or relapse. The diagnosis and treatment of the underlying disease should be ahead of the management of chronic wound.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.220-225
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• 2013

Background A recent advancement in microsurgery, the free flap is widely used in the reconstruction of the lower leg and foot. The simple and effective methods of local flaps, including transposition and advancement flaps, have been considered for patients with chronic debilitation who are unable to endure long surgical procedures or general anesthesia. However, the location and size of the wound may restrict the clinical application of a local flap. Under these circumstances, a sural flap can be an excellent alternative, rendering satisfying clinical outcomes in chronically debilitated patients. Methods Between 2008 and 2012, 39 patients underwent soft tissue defect treatment by sural artery flap as a final method. All of the patients had at least one chronic disease or more (diabetes, hypertension, vascular disease, etc.). Also, all of the patients had a history of chronic lower extremity ulceration, which revealed no response to several months of conservative treatment. Results The results of the 39 cases had a success rate of 100% with 39 complete recoveries. Nine cases suffered complications: partial necrosis (n=4), wound dehiscence without necrosis (n=3), hematoma (n=1), and infection (n=1). Conclusions The sural artery flap is not only useful for the lower leg but also for the heel, and other various parts. Furthermore, it is a relatively simple surgical technique for reconstructing the defect area for patients with various chronic conditions with a high surgical risk or contraindications to surgery.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.97-99
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• 2007

Nail bed malignancies are rare entities. Most nail bed malignancies are squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)s. Less than 10% of subungual SCCs occur in the foot. Fifty percent occurred on the hallux and approximately 25% on both the fourth and fifth digits. The correct diagnosis is often delayed because nail bed malignancies are frequently mistaken for benign or infectious processes. SCC on extremities is hard to distinguish from the benign lesion like chronic ulcer, fistula caused by chronic osteomyelitis, and abscess fistula. Attention should especially be paid in diagnosing the subungual lesion because paronychia is a common disease. SCC is the most common carcinoma second to malignant melanoma as a soft tissue malignant tumor in the West, and it involves mainly the head, neck and upper extremities but rarely involves lower extremities, particularly the toes. The authors emphasize the importance of a biopsy for chronic nonhealing lesions by presenting this case.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.314-320
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• 2020

Background: A diabetic foot is the most common cause of non-traumatic lower extremity amputations (LEA). The study seeks to assess the risk factors of amputation in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). Methods: The study was conducted on 351 patients with DFUs from January 2010 to December 2018. Their demographic characteristics, disease history, laboratory data, ankle-brachial index, Wagner classification, osteomyelitis, sarcopenia index, and ulcer sizes were considered as variables to predict outcome. A chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to test the relationship of the data gathered. Additionally, the subjects were divided into two groups based on their amputation surgery. Results: Out of the 351 subjects, 170 required LEA. The mean age of the subjects was 61 years and the mean duration of diabetes was 15 years; there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of these averages. Osteomyelitis (hazard ratio [HR], 6.164; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.561-10.671), lesion on percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (HR, 2.494; 95% CI, 1.087-5.721), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.981-0.999), ulcer size (HR, 1.247; 95% CI, 1.107-1.405), and forefoot ulcer location (HR, 2.475; 95% CI, 0.224-0.73) were associated with risk of amputation. Conclusion: Osteomyelitis, peripheral artery disease, chronic kidney disease, ulcer size, and forefoot ulcer location were risk factors for amputation in diabetic foot patients. Further investigation would contribute to the establishment of a diabetic foot risk stratification system for Koreans, allowing for optimal individualized treatment.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.99-102
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• 2023

Acute rupture of the tibialis anterior tendon is rare, but the diagnosis is often delayed when it occurs. Acute rupture of the tibialis anterior tendon is often caused by minor trauma or it occurs spontaneously. Therefore, the diagnosis is more likely to be delayed. Among ruptures of the tibialis anterior tendon, longitudinal ruptures are less common and difficult to diagnose. Thus far, there are no reports of ruptures of the tibialis anterior tendon caused by direct trauma in Korea. This paper reports a case of chronic longitudinal tear of the tibialis anterior tendon caused by trauma in a 50-year-old male patient with no specific history of the disease, along with a review of the relevant literature.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.280-293
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the risk factors for diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) to develop and evaluate the performance of a DFU prediction model and nomogram among people with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: This unmatched case-control study was conducted with 379 adult patients (118 patients with DM and 261 controls) from four general hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, foot examination, and review of patients' electronic health records. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to build the DFU prediction model and nomogram. Further, their performance was analyzed using the Lemeshow-Hosmer test, concordance statistic (C-statistic), and sensitivity/specificity analyses in training and test samples. Results: The prediction model was based on risk factors including previous foot ulcer or amputation, peripheral vascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, current smoking, and chronic kidney disease. The calibration of the DFU nomogram was appropriate (χ² = 5.85, p = .321). The C-statistic of the DFU nomogram was .95 (95% confidence interval .93~.97) for both the training and test samples. For clinical usefulness, the sensitivity and specificity obtained were 88.5% and 85.7%, respectively at 110 points in the training sample. The performance of the nomogram was better in male patients or those having DM for more than 10 years. Conclusion: The nomogram of the DFU prediction model shows good performance, and is thereby recommended for monitoring the risk of DFU and preventing the occurrence of DFU in people with DM.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 1999

The purpose of this study Is to assess the retained range of motion[RROM] of the foot after arthrodesis of the ankle joint, which might help designing the angle of arthrodesis. We reviewed the results including the RROM in 14 cases of ankle arthrodesis. Underlying causes included trauma group(six posttraumatic arthritis) and disease group(three osteoarthritis, three Charcot joints, one chronic synovitis and one pyogenic arthritis). We measured the RROM on the lateral roentgenograms of the ankle in full dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, The results were assessed by the AOFAS hindfoot scale[score]. The RROM in sagittal plane was $23.4{\pm}5.3$ degrees and the score was 71.5 points on average. The RROM and the score were $26.8^{\circ}{\pm}2.1$, 81.2 points respectively in trauma group and $20.8^{\circ}{\pm}5.6$, 64.3 points in disease group; $26.6^{\circ}{\pm}2.3$, 83.4 points in cases younger than 40 years of age and $21.6^{\circ}{\pm}5.7$, 64.9 points in the older. The mean score was 77.3 points in cases whose RROM were $24^{\circ}$ or more and 61 points in cases of less RROM; 69.6 and 73.4 points in cases with and without adjacent degenerative arthritis respectively. The score was 69.7, 73.3 and 71.5 points in cases whose angle of arthrodesis was in dorsiflexion, neutral, plantarflexion respectively. In conclusion, after ankle arthrodesis RROM of the foot was $23.4^{\circ}$, and the more the RROM, the higher the score. In cases with sufficient amount of RROM, the angle of fusion on sagittal plane might not influence the result significantly.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2021

Purpose: The present study aimed to develop guidelines regarding initial choice of antibiotics for diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) by investigating bacterial isolates. Materials and Methods: This study included 223 DFU patients that visited a single tertiary hospital and underwent bacterial culture between January 2016 and February 2020. The study was conducted in two parts: 1) to compare bacterial isolates and wound healing according to comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), and 2) to compare bacterial isolates according to wound depth using the Wagner classification. Results: Of the 223 patients, 43 had CKD (group A), 56 had PAD (group B), 30 had CKD and PAD (group C), and 94 had none of these comorbidities (group D). The isolation rate for multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MRGNB) and gram-negative to gram-positive bacteria ratio were highest in group C (p=0.018, p=0.038), and the proportion that achieved wound healing was lowest in group C (p<0.001). In the second part of the study, subjects were classified into 5 grades by wound depth using the Wagner classification; 13 grade I, 62 grade II, 60 grade III, 70 grade IV, and 17 grade V. No significant difference was observed between these grades in terms of isolation rates or gram-negative to gram-positive bacteria ratios. Conclusion: This study suggests antibiotics that cover gram-negative bacteria including MRGNB produces better results in the presence of CKD and PAD and that initial antibiotic choice should be based on the presence of CKD and PAD rather than wound depth.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.156-160
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• 2018

Purpose: Chronic tophaceous gout is a painful and disabling inflammatory disease. Surgical treatment for chronic tophaceous gout is very difficult with many complications. This study evaluated the efficacy of shortening scarf osteotomy on the treatment of chronic tophaceous gout in the 1st metatarso-phalangeal (MTP) joint. Materials and Methods: From January 2006 to December 2015, 14 patients (19 cases) who underwent axial shortening scarf osteotomy for chronic tophaceous gout were reviewed. All patients were male. The average age at the time of surgery was 59.6 years (42~66 years). The minimum follow-up was 24 months. Total removal of the tophi mass with the adhered medial capsule of the 1st MTP joint was attempted. Axial shortening scarf osteotomy was done on the 1st metatarsal shaft. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) forefoot score was assessed preoperatively and postoperatively. The range of motion (ROM) of the 1st MTP joint was also compared pre- and postoperatively. Results: The average size of the extracted tophaceous mass was 32 mm. The mean amount of the length of metatarsal shortening was 4.9 mm. The mean ROM of the 1st MTP joint was improved from $30.4^{\circ}$ to $62.3^{\circ}$. The mean AOFAS forefoot score improved from 51.4 to 86.6 points. The mean VAS for pain improved from 4.6 to 0.3 points. Conclusion: The axial shortening scarf osteotomy used on chronic tophaceous gout could reconstruct the 1st MTP joint with an improved ROM and was free of pain. Axial shortening scarf osteotomy is suggested as a useful and effective method for the treatment of chronic tophaceous gout.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.83-86
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• 2000

A vascular necrosis of the talus has frequently been reported following trauma because talus has no muscle insertions, sixty percent of the surface of the talus is covered by hyaline cartilage, takes only a small area for entrance of a blood supply. Osteonecrosis is also associated with a variety of nontraumatic disorders. There are many indications for steroid usage, patient with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and status- post renal or cardiac transplantation may be on long- term steroid usage, osteonecrosis may develop. A vascular necrosis of the talus secondary to chronic steroid usage is an unusual case. Delay in detection of osteonecrosis may lead to fragmentation and collapse of the talar body. When pain on range of motion is present and conservative treatment have been exhausted, surgical treatment is indicated, that is, fusion of the ankle joint. However it is important that conservative treatment may prevent its various sequelae with early diagnosis because steroid - treated patients have a more operative risk and increased risk for postoperative infection. We report a rare case of corticosteroid induced avascular necrosis of talus after cardiac transplantation.