This case involves a young professional athlete who developed a bony projection on his ankle. The treating podiatrist attempted to remove the projection through minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery. During the surgery, however, the treating podiatrist created tarsal tunnel syndrome in the patient’s ankle. In the weeks following the surgery, the individual experienced extreme foot and ankle pain, as well as chills and night sweats. The treating podiatrist assured him there was no cause for concern. The athlete eventually returned to the podiatrist with painful foot ulcers and was diagnosed with osteomyelitis. The athlete required several procedures to correct the osteomyelitis but was unable to continue playing football. It was alleged that the delay in diagnosing postoperative infection caused the patient to develop debilitating osteomyelitis.
Question(s) For Expert Witness
1. How frequently do you excise bony ankle projections?
2. What steps should be taken to avoid the development of tarsal tunnel syndrome?
Expert Witness Response E-250771
I am a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon and I'm one of the few podiatric surgeons in the country to have completed an orthopedic foot and ankle surgery fellowship in addition to my 3 years of podiatric surgical residency training. I excise ankle osteophytes (bony projections) arthroscopically on a regular basis, usually 2-3 cases per week. Tarsal tunnel syndrome of the anterior ankle is essentially a nerve injury to the front of the ankle which is very common and an expected complication from ankle arthroscopy. I have reviewed a number of similar cases involving nerve damage after an ankle arthroscopy. This is a common and expected finding after surgery and something that I warn patients about on a regular basis. The osteomyelitis component of the case would be noted as a much less common complication from arthroscopic ankle surgery. Infection risks are generally lower with arthroscopy due to the nature of the small portals where the work is done, but infection is not out of the question and again is a common risk associated with any foot/ankle surgical intervention including arthroscopy. It would be important to look at the patient/doctor records to have a full understanding of the situation and render a more educated and complete report on the standard of care.
About the author
Victoria Negron
Victoria Negron has extensive experience in journalism and thought leadership in the legal space, with a background crafting content, whitepapers, webinars, and current event articles pertaining to the role of expert witnesses in complex litigation matters. She is a skilled professional specializing in B2B product marketing and content marketing. Currently, she serves as an Enterprise Product Marketing Manager at Postman, and previously held the position of Technical Product Marketing Manager at Palantir Technologies, where she developed her skills in launch strategies, go-to-market strategy, and competitive analysis.
Her expertise in content marketing was further refined during her tenure at the Expert Institute, where she progressed from a Marketing Writer to Senior Content Marketing Manager, and eventually to Associate Director of Content & Product Marketing. In these roles, she honed her abilities in digital marketing, SEO, content strategy, and thought leadership.
Educationally, Victoria holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida - Warrington College of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Art, and Hispanic Studies from Hamilton College. Her diverse educational background and professional experience have equipped her with a robust skill set in product marketing, content development, and strategic marketing initiatives.
