Safety and effectiveness of flexor tenotomies to heal toe ulcers in persons with diabetes. 2010

Tyler P Kearney, and Nathan A Hunt, and Lawrence A Lavery
Department of Surgery, Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, 600 South 25th Street, Temple, TX 76504, United States. tkearney@swmail.sw.org

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous tenotomy of the flexor digitorum longus to heal neuropathic ulcers on the tip of the toe. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of 48 patients with 58 tenotomy procedures with diabetes related neuropathy and ulceration at the tip of the toe. Subjects were treated with tenotomy of the flexor digitorum longus. We then evaluated healing of the ulceration and any adverse events including recurrence, infection, healing failure, and amputation. RESULTS 98.3% of the ulcerations healed. Mean ulcer healing time was 40+/-52 days. 12.1% had a recurrence of ulceration at the same site. Mean time to recurrence was 13.9 months. Five percent had post-operative soft tissue infection. Two patients had amputation of the digit; both had pre-existing osteomyelitis. Mean follow up was 28 months. CONCLUSIONS Flexor tenotomy is a safe, simple procedure, which can enhance patients' healing potential with very little risk.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D014034 Toes Any one of five terminal digits of the vertebrate FOOT. Toe
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes
D017719 Diabetic Foot Common foot problems in persons with DIABETES MELLITUS, caused by any combination of factors such as DIABETIC NEUROPATHIES; PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASES; and INFECTION. With the loss of sensation and poor circulation, injuries and infections often lead to severe foot ulceration, GANGRENE and AMPUTATION, SURGICAL. Foot Ulcer, Diabetic,Diabetic Feet,Feet, Diabetic,Foot, Diabetic

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