Interphalangeal arthroscopy of the toes

Endoscopic Resection of Horseshoe Ganglion of the Great Toe

Twelve percent of the foot ganglion cysts occur on the toes, and they are often symptomatic and recurrent. When conservative treatment failed, surgical excision is recommended, which is classically an open resection of the ganglion cyst. However, communicating lesions between ganglion cysts and the interphalangeal joint or tendon sheath make it difficult to prevent a recurrence. Techniques of arthroscopic or endoscopic toe ganglionectomy have been reported, which is either arthroscopic/endoscopic internal drainage to the adjacent joint or tendon sheath or endoscopic resection of the ganglion cyst. Difficulty in identifying the communicating valvular lesion and high incidence of multiloculated lesions make endoscopic internal drainage not always feasible for toe ganglion. The purpose of this Technical Note is to describe the details of endoscopic resection of horseshoe ganglion of the great toe. This minimal invasive approach may help to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Role of arthroscopy and endoscopy in management of tuberculosis of the foot and ankle

Tuberculosis of the foot and ankle is rare but destructive. It can affect bones, joints and soft tissue and can mimic a wide range of acute and chronic infections or tumorous conditions. The primary treatment objectives for osteoarticular TB include curing the infection, limiting deformity, maintaining mobility, and reducing discomfort. Chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment in acute stage. Indications of surgery include biopsy and debridement in early stages to reduce the tuberculosis load and enable better penetration of anti-tuberculous drugs. Other reported indications for surgery in early stage of TB foot and ankle include resection of lesion not responding to chemotherapy and debridement of lesions close to the articular surface, as surgical debridement might halt progression and joint invasion, avoiding worsening of the prognosis. The success of arthroscopic treatment for infectious arthritis with decreased morbidity and postoperative pain makes arthroscopy an excellent alternative to open surgery. The advantages such as minor trauma, short hospitalization time and short post operative rehabilitation period as well as good cosmetic and therapeutic results should lead to a more frequent use of arthroscopy as early as possible as an adjuvant for the tuberculous joint. However, tuberculosis can involve any joints, bone and soft tissue (tendon) of the foot and ankle and surgeons should equip with various arthroscopic and endoscopic techniques in order to deal with the various situations of tuberculosis of the foot and ankle.

Percutaneous reduction of irreducible dislocation of the interphalangeal joint of the hallux: A simple technique for a rare injury

Irreducible dislocation of the interphalangeal joint (IPJ) of hallux is a rare injury due to its intrinsic stabile anatomy. Open reduction is the commonly preferred treatment option once closed reduction attempts fail. In this article, we present a 37-year-old male patient with an irreducible dislocation of the IPJ of the hallux treated with Kirschner (K)-wire assisted percutaneous reduction. The patient was symptom free at the sixth month of follow-up. In conclusion, K-wire assisted percutaneous reduction might be an option in the treatment of irreducible dislocation of IPJ of the hallux.

Arthroscopic Synovectomy of the Interphalangeal Joint of the Great Toe

Synovitis of the interphalangeal joint of the great toe can occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative arthritides, or gouty arthritis or after a penetrating injury to the joint. Complete synovectomy of the joint usually requires a lengthy incision and extensive soft-tissue dissection. The purpose of this Technical Note is to describe the surgical details of arthroscopic synovectomy of the hallucal interphalangeal joint, which can reduce the surgical trauma.

Arthroscopically Assisted Modified Jones Procedure

The modified Jones procedure is the classic operative treatment of symptomatic clawed hallux. It is composed of transfer of the extensor hallucis longus tendon to the first metatarsal neck and fusion of the hallux interphalangeal joint. The purpose of this technical note is to report the technique of an arthroscopically assisted modified Jones procedure. This can be combined with other minimally invasive bone and soft-tissue procedures to correct all aspects of the complex cavus foot deformity.

Small joint arthroscopy in foot and ankle

The clinical application of small joint arthroscopies (metatarsophalangeal joint, Lisfranc joint, Chopart joint, and interphlangeal joint) in the foot has seen significant advancements in the past decades. This article reviews the clinical indications, technical details, outcomes, and potential complications of small joint arthroscopies of the foot.