Foot Pathology

Practice flashcards covering early trauma complications, specific foot fractures (phalangeal, metatarsal, tarsal), and the clinical/radiographic features of gout.

Visceral #s

Early trauma complications involving damage to internal organs, such as a punctured lung from broken ribs.

Vascular #s

Complications involving damage to blood vessels, such as the radial artery in humerus fractures or the popliteal artery in knee-related fractures.

Compartment syndrome

An orthopaedic emergency where intensive swelling increases pressure within a non-elastic fascia, compressing nerves and blood vessels, leading to ischemia and necrosis.

The “5 Ps”

Clinical signs for assessing Compartment syndrome: Pain, Paraesthesia, Paralysis, Pallor, and Pulselessness.

Haemarthrosis

Bleeding into a joint space, which increases the likelihood of joint destruction and later degeneration.

Fat emboli

The escape of fatty marrow into the venous circulation, often seen in pelvis and long bone fractures, which can lead to lung embolism.

Crush fracture (Phalangeal)

A comminuted phalanx fracture, often of the distal phalanx, caused by dropping a heavy object on the toes.

Bedroom fracture

A direct blow to the toe, especially the 4th or 5th, resulting from striking an object such as a bedpost.

Jones fracture

A fracture located within $1.5\,cm$ distal to the tuberosity near the base of the 5th metatarsal, known for poor blood supply and high stress.

Lisfranc fracture dislocation

An injury involving displacement of the tarsometatarsal joints, typically involving the 2nd metatarsal's articulation with the medial cuneiform.

Homolateral Lisfranc dislocation

A type of Lisfranc injury where all metatarsals are displaced in the same direction, usually laterally.

Divergent Lisfranc dislocation

A type of Lisfranc injury where the 1st metatarsal is displaced medially and the others are displaced laterally.

Aviator’s fracture

A vertical fracture of the talar neck caused by the downward force of the anterior tibial lip into the talus during dorsiflexion.

Gout

A metabolic arthritis defined by the presence of monosodium urate or uric acid crystals within the joint cavity.

Hyperuricaemia

An increase in serum urate concentration resulting from over-production or under-excretion of uric acid, leading to crystal deposition.

Primary Gout

A form of gout caused by a genetic defect in the enzymatic metabolism of uric acid.

Secondary Gout

A form of gout caused by disease or medication.

Tophi

Hard nodules with irregular surfaces composed of monosodium urate crystal deposits, typically appearing 10 years or more after the first gout attack.

Punched out lesions

Intra-osseous radiolucent erosions in the subchondral bone seen in the later stages of gout.

Rat-bite sign

Radiographic feature of gouty arthritis characterized by sharply marginated, overhanging bony erosions.