July 14, 2023

Learn about the latest research in foot and ankle medicine and surgery at this morning’s Oral Abstracts presentations. This session is part of the APMA Abstracts Competition, and presenters are eligible for the Outstanding Oral Abstract Presentation award.

The National Today reached out to participating authors to learn the inspiration for choosing their topic and what they hope attendees take away from their presentations.

Association of Elevated Body Mass Index, Diabetes Mellitus, and Smoking Status Related to Postoperative Complications Following Deep Tendon Transfers of the Foot and Ankle: A Retrospective Review, Emily R. Merriman, DPM, resident, Heritage Valley Beaver, Beaver, PA

“I was initially involved in a poster as a PGY-1 about tendon transfers which really piqued my interest in the topic,” said Dr. Merriman. “I wanted to look more into the complications following tendon transfers.”

“I hope the audience will consider a patient’s BMI, especially severe obesity, prior to performing a tendon transfer, but most complications seen in our study are incisional and able to be treated with local wound care and antibiotics.”

Is Intermetatarsal Angle a Static Deformity in Moderate Hallux Valgus?—Fluoroscopic Manual Stress Imaging to Assess Maximum and Minimum Transverse Plane Range of Motion of the First Tarsometatarsal Joint, Gabriella A. Ley, DPM, resident, HealthPartners Institute/Regions Hospital, Saint Paul, MN

“The inspiration for my oral abstract topic stems from the idea of ‘hypermobility’ of the first ray which is often implicated in hallux valgus or bunion deformities,” said Dr. Ley. “Our goal in this study was to measure the transverse plane motion of the first tarsometatarsal joint in our patient population to help better quantify and define this so called ‘hypermobility’ of the first ray in patients with a hallux valgus deformity.”

“I am hoping this presentation is a thought-provoking topic with regards to bunion deformities. It is a common pathology that we see in our field yet discussion regarding transverse plane range of motion of the first ray has been very limited, and my goal is to shed light on this subject.”

Surgical Repair of Atraumatic Tibialis Anterior Tendon Ruptures with Extensor Hallucis Longus Tendon Transfer: A Case Series Reviewing Surgical Technique and Intermediate Outcomes, Danielle L. Nack, DPM, resident, HealthPartners Institute/Regions Hospital, Saint Paul, MN

“I was inspired to research my abstract topic by the limited studies and guidance for treatment of ruptures of tibialis anterior tendon,” said Dr. Nack. “There is currently no gold standard of treatment, so I am hopeful my research will [provide] guidance through our proposed surgical treatment option.”

“I hope attendees will be able to understand and incorporate certain aspects of our surgical approach into their own practice. I want to provide some insight into this rare injury and the different techniques proposed in the current literature.”

Augmenting the Deltoid Ligament with Posterior Tibial Tendon Transfer: A Novel Technique, Hummira H. Abawi, DPM, Baltimore

“Deltoid insufficiency plays a big role in progressive rearfoot valgus deformity, yet those who specialize in surgical management have limited options in primary repair,” said Dr. Abawi. “My novel technique in using the posterior tibial tendon to augment the deltoid in the double medial arthrodesis has helped maintain the osseous correction.”

“I hope the audience is able to use my novel technique when repairing the deltoid repair as either a primary option or bailout when a graft or anchors are not available.”

Transarticular Delta Screw Configuration for Primarily Ligamentous Lisfranc Injuries, Spencer R. Arndt, DPM, resident, HealthPartners Institute/Regions Hospital, Saint Paul, MN

“I have always been interested in trauma—specifically Lisfranc injuries—so this compelled me to explore more about the existing literature and contribute to the body of knowledge on this topic,” said Dr. Arndt.

“I hope the attendees will gain information from my presentation that they can apply to their clinical practice. I hope to improve patient outcomes and quality of care.”

Effect of Medicaid Expansion on Diabetic Foot Visits in Emergency Department: A Retrospective Administrative Data Analysis, Tina Javanbakht, MPH, student, Samuel Merritt University College of Podiatric Medicine, Oakland, CA (Note: Due to a conflict, Javanbakht is presenting this abstract on behalf of primary author Chia-Ding Shih, DPM, MPH, MA. Dr. Shih provided the answers below.)

“In thinking of my inspiration for this abstract, I need to first thank APMA for the opportunity to support my training at The Dartmouth Institute (TDI),” said Dr. Shih. “It was the training and experiences at TDI that led me to think about any overarching issues such as policy changes that may create downstream effects in patient. After discussing this idea with [APMA Senior Medical Director and Director, Clinical Affairs] Dyane Tower, DPM, MPH, MS, CAE, an excellent mentor in my podiatric public health career, we thought it would be interesting and beneficial to find out the impact of Medicaid among patients with diabetic foot ulcers and complications at states that expanded their Medicaid coverage.”

“Overall, there was an increased trend for the incidence of emergency room visits due to diabetic foot ulcer and complications. Based on the observations, we thought that if Medicaid would improve the coverage for care by a podiatrist, many of these ED visits could be avoided. As a result, we could not only save limbs but also save health-care dollars. Nonetheless, stronger evidence will be needed to demonstrate our hypothesis.”