Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Objective: To describe functional and radiographic outcomes, and complications of osteosynthesis in calcaneus fractures with the sinus tarsi approach. Materials and Methods: 54 displaced articular calcaneus fractures in 50 patients were assessed through preoperative foot radiographs (anteroposterior and lateral) and computerized tomography. AP and lateral radiographs were obtained in the immediate postoperative period (without weightbearing), after 6 and 12 weeks (with weightbearing), and at the end of follow-up, measuring the Böhler angle and quantifying the degree of subtalar and calcaneocuboid osteoarthritis. The AOFAS score was determined, registering wound complications, neurological injuries and necessary additional surgeries --such as osteosynthesis and subtalar arthrodesis hardware removal. Results: Follow-up time was 30.8 months. The series consisted in 8 women and 42 men. The patients’ average age was 39.40±14 years (18-65). There were 40 Sanders type II, 13 type III, and 1 type IV fractures.The AOFAS score was excellent (12 patients), good (25), regular (12), and poor (5). The Böhler angle was 10.8°±10.4° before surgery, and 30.77°±8.24° at the end of follow-up (p<0.00001). 3.7% of the patients presented minor wound complications, while 5.6% presented major wound complications. Conclusion: The sinus tarsi approach allows for acceptable reduction with good and excellent outcomes in most patients, coupled with few soft-tissue complications.

Introduction: Major amputations cause a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Our objectives were to evaluate the mortality rate in the first month, and 2 and 5 years after amputation for diabetic foot and to compare the mortality rate in patients with below-theknee (BKA) and above-the-knee amputations (AKA). Materials and Methods: Sixty patients with 64 major amputations, operated on between 2010 and 2018, were retrospectively evaluated. The following information was collected: personal data, laterality, University of Texas classification score, biochemical analysis results, Doppler studies, comorbidities, survival, and cause of death. The overall mortality rate and the mortality rate by type of amputation in the first month and after 2 and 5 years were calculated. Results: 58 amputations were performed in men and 6 in women (37 right, 27 left), 39 were AKA and 25 were BKA. The average age was 68 years. There were 28 deaths: 15 patients with AKA and 13 with BKA. Mortality rates were: 13.33% in the first month, 33.3% after 2 years, and 46.42% after 5 years (patients with AKA, 26.78%; patients with BKA, 19.64%). The differences in the creatinine levels of the patients who died were statistically significant. The main causes of death were cardiovascular complications. Conclusions: Mortality rates were significantly higher in patients with above-the-knee amputation. The sepsis-related mortality rate in the first month was high. Patients with kidney disease had a higher mortality rate.

Objective: To describe the modified Mitchell’s surgical technique for the treatment of grade II hallux valgus rigidus, and to evaluate medium-term outcomes. Materials and Methods: Prospective observational study. Between August 2015 and January 2019, 21 patients (23 feet) with grade II hallux valgus rigidus were treated. All underwent a modified Mitchell’s osteotomy. Results: The results are reported based on age, gender, postoperative follow-up, AOFAS score, affected foot, loss of reduction, metatarsal head collapse, residual pain, and whether the patient needed insoles to be discharged. The AOFAS score at 18 months was 94.78. On average, the patients returned to work after 16.6 days and to their usual activities after 3.43 months. Conclusion: We present a surgical technique that combines the benefits of the Chevron and Mitchell osteotomy, with excellent functional clinical outcomes.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type VI, also known as Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, is caused by a deficiency of the arylsulfatase B enzyme, which causes intracellular accumulation of dermatan sulfate. The risk of spinal cord compression is particularly high and frequent at the occipitocervical junction. Enzyme replacement therapy has been essential for patients with this disease; however, it has no effect on skeletal abnormalities, and its impact on spinal stability is still under study. An annual examination (neurological evaluation, radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and somatosensory evoked potentials) is recommended. In case of anomalies, it should be repeated every 6 months. Despite the high anesthetic risk, myelopathy and progressive symptoms indicate the need for surgical decompression. We present the case of a 12-year-old girl with mucopolysaccharidosis type VI treated with enzyme replacement therapy since the age of 7, who came to the consultation with symptoms compatible with progressive high cervical myelopathy. She underwent occipitocervical decompression and fusion with enlargement of the foramen magnum. This disease is rare; therefore, multidisciplinary patient follow-up is imperative, as well as knowing the risk of spinal cord compression and its timely surgical treatment by spinal surgeons.

Introduction: The main objective of this work is to evaluate the relationship between the formation of heterotopic calcifications and the alignment parameters of the prosthesis. Materials and Methods: The population under study comprised 31 patients. The radiographic alignment variables evaluated were alpha and beta angles, the talar center of rotation, and the percentage of posterior coverage of the tibia in the immediate postoperative period and after 2 years. The clinical evaluation variables were: VAS, AOFAS, and the SF-36 questionnaire to evaluate quality of life at the end of follow-up. Results: The most frequent etiology of osteoarthritis was post-traumatic (67.7%). In the immediate postoperative period, the mean alpha angle was 88.7° (range 82-92.6°; SD± 2.61); the mean beta angle was 84.46° (range 78°, 62-91.40°; SD ±3.59). The alignment of the tibial component in the anteroposterior plane was neutral in 25 patients (80.6%), valgus in 6 (19.4%), and varus in none. At 2 years of follow-up, 96% presented heterotopic calcifications. An improvement was verified both in the AOFAS (pre/post 31.90/80.94) and in the VAS scales (pre/post: 8.7/1.97) (p<0.05). Conclusions: No relationship was found between heterotopic calcification and worse functional outcomes or pain, except for quality-of-life parameters (SF-36) such as physical condition, emotional limitation, and general health perception, which worsened as the degree of calcifications around the prosthesis increased.

Introduction: Telemedicine was the recommendation of international societies during the COVID-19 pandemic for medical consultations in patients with diabetic foot (DF). The main aim of this work is to evaluate the use of telemedicine as a tool for the evaluation and follow-up of patients with DF by foot and ankle specialists in Argentina. As secondary objectives, we propose to assess the satisfaction perceived by the professionals with the use of this tool, to evaluate the specific strategies used to carry out the remote medical consultation, and to determine its permanence when returning to the usual care activity. Materials and Methods: Three surveys were sent to members of the Argentine Society of Medicine and Surgery of the Leg and Foot in May and July 2020 and April 2022. Results: According to 75% of respondents, the most valuable function of telemedicine was prevention, followed by monitoring of the clinical pathology (54.1%), postoperative follow-up (41.6%), and diagnosis (29.1%). The most commonly used resources for remote consultation were telephone conversations, followed by images sent by instant messaging. Only 37.5% used electronic health record platforms during 2020. Conclusions: The most commonly used resources for remote consultation were telephone conversations, followed by images sent by instant messaging. 33.4% of respondents were satisfied with telemedicineconsultations in May 2020, while in July, satisfaction with this tool rose to 46.7%. In April 2022, only 13% of those surveyed in July 2020 continued offering remote consultations.

Objective: To evaluate the radiological and functional outcomes one year after surgery in a consecutive series of patients diagnosed with stage IIB adult-acquired flatfoot deformity who underwent Evans osteotomy without the use of bone graft. Materials and Methods: Two groups of patients were retrospectively evaluated: group 1 (spacer plate, n=12) and group 2 (PEEK cage, n=14). The mean age was 47 years (SD 18) in group 1 and 54 years (SD 12) in group 2. Results: 26 patients (28 feet) were evaluated; 14 (84%) of the patients were women. Radiographic measurements—calcaneal pitch angle, (lateral) talocalcaneal angle, (AP) talocalcaneal angle, talonavicular coverage angle, medial column height, lateral column length—yielded statistically significant differencesbetween preoperative measurements and those taken one year after surgery. The mean score on the AOFAS scale one year after surgery was 96 (SD 4.70) in group 1 and 95 (SD 4.98) in group 2. Regarding the visual analog scale, it was 1.2 (SD 0.42) in group 1 and 1.16 (SD 0.46) in group 2. Conclusions: According to the results obtained, we conclude that Evans osteotomy without the use of bone graft manages to preserve the corrections obtained in the medium term, using either spacer plates or PEEK cages.

Introduction: Calcaneonavicular ligament injury has been described as a cause of adult flat foot deformity. The objective of this study is to describe modified portals for the diagnosis and treatment of injuries to the superomedial bundle of the calcaneonavicular ligament and to evaluate the safety of the portals used. Materials and Methods: We performed a cadaveric specimen study on 6 feet, where we reproduced a lesion of the superomedial bundle of the calcaneonavicular ligament with a radiofrequency ablation device and repaired it endoscopically. Two modified portals were created for the approach and an anatomical dissection was performed to assess the safety of the portals in relation to the anatomical structures. The first portal was placed immediately proximal to a line drawn from the tip of the medial malleolus toward the center of the heel; the second portal was placed 0.5 cm proximal to the posterior tibial tendon insertion into the navicular bone, guided by transillumination. If needed, an accessory portal was placed halfway between the two previously described portals immediately dorsal to the posterior tibial tendon. Results: In all cases, ligament repair was achieved with the endoscopic procedure. In the anatomical dissection of the portals, we observed an average distance of 11.83 mm from the proximal portal and 9.66 mm from the distal portal to neurovascular structures. Conclusion: Modified portals are safe and allow direct visualization of the superomedial bundle of the calcaneonavicular ligament to perform endoscopic repair.

Beaches founded outside of the territorial guidelines of the State of Chile have been surfacing in the last decades in the coastal towns of Caldera and Chañaral, in the region of Atacama. The complex evolution of this process reveals minor phenomena that influence in the production of the territory and landscape. In order to learn and explain the socio-cultural, political and economic logics that underlie this phenomenon, an ethnography research was conducted. This ethnography research delves into the memory, knowledge and practices of the population of these community-constructed coastal towns and the influence of these dimensions in the processes of production of both territory and coastal areas. From the analysis of the gathered data it is concluded that these beaches constitute a chronotopia within the regional territory: born from logics of definition, occupation and land use that originated in the cultural horizon of other times and have been updated by the local population in order to allow the access to the coastal area and guarantee their right to rest.

Urbanization is a process of transformation of the geographical space that has shaped many territories, one of these being the young city of Playa del Carmen located in the Mexican Caribbean. Therefore, this research carried out the analysis of the spatio-temporal patterns and the driving forces that have determined the urbanization of the city during the period 2004-2015. A content analysis was carried out and indicators of change were calculated through a cross-tabulation matrix obtained from coverage and land use maps designed from cartographic inputs. The results show highest surface growth in the Housing (145,1%) and Road (75%) categories, and highest losses in the Natural vegetation (29,6%). Therefore, the construction of housing and road infrastructure was quantitatively identified as the main driving causes of urbanization, also, through content analysis, then main factors driving this process of change were known (environmental, economic, demographic and political-institutional). It is concluded that rapid urban growth has been derived, indirectly, from the mass tourism industry, thus making it necessary to design and implement adequate strategies and public policies for an appropriate urban development of this territory.