by Vince Vacketta, DPM   PNBs have become a popular tool for managing pain after orthopedic surgery, but a new look at nearly 23,000 patients at Massachusetts General Hospital suggests the story is more nuanced.   This single-center retrospective  study  compared patients who received single-injection PNBs with those who did not. In the recovery room, the benefits were clear: patients with PNBs reported lower peak pain scores and required fewer opioids. But once the block wor

by Vince Vacketta, DPM Two recent studies shed light on early weightbearing and mobilization following ankle fracture ORIF:  Study 1  – Hybrid cast and brace vs. traditional cast This study compared a hybrid approach (short cast followed by a functional brace) with the traditional six-week cast, evaluating function, pain, complications over two years. It found that rigid, long-duration immobilization is not necessarily superior. More flexible or functional approaches can matc

Avascular necrosis of the talus has been a diagnosis vexing foot-and-ankle surgeons for a long time. Real pain and disability with...

Cannabis sativa derivatives, or cannabinoids, are making their way into many of our pain strategies. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the most...

Since the opioid crisis forced a relook at the way we manage pain, there is strong momentum toward limiting and perhaps avoiding...