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Aims This paper details the impact of COVID-19 on foot and ankle activity in the UK. It describes regional variations and COVID-19 infection rate in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery before, during and after the first national lock-down. Patients & methods This was a multicentre, retrospective, UK-based, national audit on foot and ankle patients who underwent surgery between 13th January and 31st July 2020. Data was examined pre- UK national lockdown, during lockdown (23rd March to 11th May 2020) and post-lockdown. All adult patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery in an operating theatre during the study period included from 43 participating centres in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Regional, demographic and COVID-19 related data were captured. Results 6644 patients were included. In total 0.53% of operated patients contracted COVID-19 (n = 35). The rate of COVID-19 infection was highest during lockdown (2.11%, n = 16) and lowest after lockdown (0.16%, n = 3). Overall mean activity during lockdown was 24.44% of pre-lockdown activity with decreases in trauma, diabetic and elective foot and ankle surgery; the change in elective surgery was most marked with only 1.73% activity during lock down and 10.72% activity post lockdown as compared to pre-lockdown. There was marked regional variation in numbers of cases performed, but the proportion of decrease in cases during and after lockdown was comparable between all regions. There was also a significant difference between rates of COVID-19 and timing of peak, cumulative COVID-19 infections between regions with the highest rate noted in South East England (3.21%). The overall national peak infection rate was 1.37%, occurring during the final week of lockdown. General anaesthetic remained the most common method of anaesthesia for foot and ankle surgery, although a significant increase in regional anaesthesia was witnessed in the lock-down and post-lockdown periods. Conclusions National surgical activity reduced significantly for all cases across the country during lockdown with only a slow subsequent increase in elective activity. The COVID-19 infection rate and peaks differed significantly across the country. Clinical relevance This paper highlights a significant regional variation in COVID-19 infection rates and peak of COVID-19 infections across the country; this data may be useful in planning response to subsequent waves. The cumulative COVID-19 infection rates suggest that the risk of contracting COVID-19 in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery is not insignificant. The marked decrease in, and slow recovery of elective activity seen will need to be considered when planning restoration of elective foot and ankle services.

Summary Background Patients with Achilles tendon rupture who have non-operative treatment have traditionally been treated with immobilisation of the tendon in plaster casts for several weeks. Functional bracing is an alternative non-operative treatment that allows earlier mobilisation, but evidence on its effectiveness and safety is scarce. The aim of the UKSTAR trial was to compare functional and quality-of-life outcomes and resource use in patients treated non-operatively with plaster cast versus functional brace. Methods UKSTAR was a pragmatic, superiority, multicentre, randomised controlled trial done at 39 hospitals in the UK. Patients (aged ≥16 years) who were being treated non-operatively for a primary Achilles tendon rupture at the participating centres were potentially eligible. The exclusion criteria were presenting more than 14 days after injury, previous rupture of the same Achilles tendon, or being unable to complete the questionnaires. Eligible participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a plaster cast or functional brace using a centralised web-based system. Because the interventions were clearly visible, neither patients nor clinicians could be masked. Participants wore the intervention for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was patient-reported Achilles tendon rupture score (ATRS) at 9 months, analysed in the modified intention-to-treat population (all patients in the groups to which they were allocated, excluding participants who withdrew or died before providing any outcome data). The main safety outcome was the incidence of tendon re-rupture. Resource use was recorded from a health and personal social care perspective. The trial is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN62639639. Findings Between Aug 15, 2016, and May 31, 2018, 1451 patients were screened, of whom 540 participants (mean age 48·7 years, 79% male) were randomly allocated to receive plaster cast (n=266) or functional brace (n=274). 527 (98%) of 540 were included in the modified intention-to-treat population, and 13 (2%) were excluded because they withdrew or died before providing any outcome data. There was no difference in ATRS at 9 months post injury (cast group n=244, mean ATRS 74∙4 [SD 19∙8]; functional brace group n=259, ATRS 72∙8 [20∙4]; adjusted mean difference –1∙38 [95% CI –4∙9 to 2∙1], p=0·44). There was no difference in the rate of re-rupture of the tendon (17 [6%] of 266 in the plaster cast group vs 13 [5%] of 274 in the functional brace group, p=0·40). The mean total health and personal social care cost was £1181 for the plaster cast group and £1078 for the functional bract group (mean between-group difference –£103 [95% CI –289 to 84]). Interpretation Traditional plaster casting was not found to be superior to early weight-bearing in a functional brace, as measured by ATRS, in the management of patients treated non-surgically for Achilles tendon rupture. Clinicians may consider the use of early weight-bearing in a functional brace as a safe and cost-effective alternative to plaster casting. Funding UK National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme.

Category: Other Introduction/Purpose: Surgical repair of symptomatic chronic Achilles tendon (TA) rupture is a challenging problem due to the presence of large defect between tendon edges. We report the results of surgical repair of symptomatic chronic TA rupture by synthetic graft augmentation. Methods: Seven consecutive patients with a symptomatic chronic TA rupture underwent surgical repair by VY plasty and augmentation with bio-absorbable synthetic graft (Artelon®). In all patients, the intraoperative tendon gap after debridement was more than 5 cm (Myerson Grade 3). Postoperatively, weight bearing on plantigrade foot was allowed at 4 weeks in a plaster cast. The total duration of plaster immobilization was 10 weeks. The complications were recorded prospectively and functional outcome was assessed by AOFAS score and Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS). Results: At a mean follow up of 29 months there was no re-rupture or deep infection. All patients reported good functional outcome as shown by AOFAS and ATRS scores. There were no graft related complications. One patient had an early superficial infection which was treated by a course of oral antibiotic. Two patients reported numbness in the sural nerve territory after surgery,of which one patient developed scar sensitivity and paraesthesia. At final follow up, six patients were able to do single stance heel raise however, calf wasting was noted in all patients. Conclusion: Symptomatic chronic TA repair augmented by synthetic graft is a safe and effective technique in Myerson Grade 3 chronic TA ruptures where gap between two tendon edges is more than 5 cm.

The reverse camber shoe (RCS) is commonly used for forefoot off-loading during mobilization after forefoot surgery. However, patient satisfaction and compliance may be affected because of the altered gait pattern that is conferred. The aim of this study was to investigate the patient-related factors associated with the compliance in the use of this device. The authors retrospectively reviewed a single surgeon series of 64 patients who underwent forefoot surgery and who were subsequently rehabilitated with early mobilization using the RCS. Data on patient age, arthritic comorbidities, adaptation to device, and symptoms during use were collected via a standardized postal questionnaire. In all, 39 patients complied with the use of the RCS for 8 weeks (group A), whereas 11 patients managed it for less than 6 weeks (group C). Also, 14 patients used the shoe for more than 6 weeks but less than 8 weeks (group B). The authors found that compliance in the use of the RCS is lower in older patients following forefoot surgery. This may be related to poor adaptation in the presence of preexisting arthritis.Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV

Study design Diagnostic study. Objective To assess the construct validity of the flip test as a sign of nerve root tension. Summary of background data The flip test is commonly performed in patients with sciatica to confirm or otherwise nerve root tension evidenced by a restricted supine straight leg raise (SLR). Passive extension of the knee with the patient in the erect position and the hip flexed is reported to cause a sudden falling or flipping back of the trunk. Although widely known there are no research articles validating this test. Methods Sixty-seven patients with sciatica and magnetic resonance imaging scans confirming disc protrusion and nerve root compression underwent the flip test. The response of the patient was recorded, compared with the supine SLR, and subjected to statistical analysis. Results Thirty-three percent of patients felt no pain, 39% felt pain on full extension of the knee, and 28% resisted full extension of the knee due to pain. Only one-third of patients demonstrated a "flip." The response was related to the supine SLR, such that patients with high SLRs tended not to show a painful reaction whereas all patients with a supine SLR below 45 degrees showed a painful response. Conclusion We consider that the flip test has been substantially misinterpreted in the past. However, it remains a useful check of nerve root tension but only for patients with supine SLRs below 45 degrees . The most reliable response was not a flip but the demonstration of pain on extension of the knee. We would recommend the term "sitting SLR test," as a more accurate and less misleading name.

Study design A 2-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model of an intervertebral segment was used to investigate the stress patterns in the adjacent vertebrae of fused spinal segment incorporating 4 common cage designs. The same was used to study the effect of maturation of bone graft on stress distribution pattern. Objectives To study and compare the stress distribution patterns in a normal spinal segment and in the adjacent vertebrae of a fused spinal segment. The effect of bone graft incorporation around the mesh cage was also investigated. Summary of background data Lumbar fusion surgery is thought to relieve discogenic low back pain by eliminating the abnormal intersegmental movement at the level of disc degeneration. Successful spinal fusion does not guarantee symptomatic pain relief. Discogenic pain is also known to be associated with an abnormal load transmission pattern across the degenerate disc. We hypothesized that the lumbar interbody fusion results in relief of discogenic pain by normalizing the load distribution pattern. Methods We used a 2-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model of an intervertebral segment to investigate the stress patterns in the vertebrae adjacent to a fused spinal segment incorporating 4 common cage designs: (1) anterior lumbar interbody fusion, (2) posterior lumbar interbody fusion rectangular, (3) posterior lumbar interbody fusion threaded, and (4) mesh cage. Results High stress concentrations and abnormal overall stress patterns were noted for all the cage designs studied. The anterior lumbar interbody fusion cage with its larger contact area showed the least abnormal stress magnitude in comparison with the other cages. Incorporation of bone in and around the mesh cage increased the area of contact and decreased the abnormal high stresses. The spine fusion model representing final bony healing showed restoration of near physiologic stress pattern. Conclusions Interbody fusion cages with larger area of contact between cage and vertebral endplate produces a lower stress distribution pattern. A successful bony fusion restores near physiologic stress distribution pattern. Restoration of near normal load distribution pattern may become an important aim of surgery for discogenic low back pain.