What Is a Bone Lesion Biopsy?

A bone lesion biopsy is a surgical procedure in which a doctor removes a sample of your bone tissue and sends it to a laboratory for testing. The test typically distinguishes between cancerous and noncancerous bone tumors and diagnoses other bone abnormalities.

The procedure involves making a small incision, drilling into the bone, and removing a sample of tissue from the lesion inside the bone. A lesion is an abnormality in the structure of the bone, which may or may not impact bone growth. Not all lesions are cancerous.

Why Do I Need a Bone Lesion Biopsy?

Your doctor may order a bone lesion biopsy if there are signs of abnormalities in your bones.

FastMed not only provides urgent care for most services (with the exception of the most critical injuries and traumas)—we also offer on-site digital X-rays and lab services for your convenience. Our qualified medical staff will properly assess your injury and provide immediate care. We can also refer you to the appropriate specialist, if needed.

In addition, we work closely with your primary care provider (PCP), if you have one, to ensure that your ongoing medical needs are met. With your permission and under strict privacy rules, we can share your electronic medical records and digital X-rays with all appropriate providers.

At FastMed, we know that accidents and injuries can occur at any time of day. That’s why we’re open extended hours and on holidays. Let us provide fast diagnostic services for your illness, injury, or accident. We’ll give you the immediate care you need with no appointment necessary and without the additional expense of the typical hospital emergency room.

Henry C. Hilario, DPM 

Frank Aviles Jr., PT, CWS, FACCWS, CLT-LANA, ALM, AWCC, DAPWCA

June 2018

The feet are the foundation of the human body. They provide support, locomotion, and balance. Unlike the foundation of a house, our feet must provide us with static support — for when we are upright and stationary — as well as dynamic support — for when we are active. Much like a home’s foundation, however, if something is not correct or is distorted within the body’s framework, problems will migrate while becoming more noticeable and severe over time. This article will discuss the anatomy of the foot, the intricacies of gait, and the impact that foot deformity and diabetes have on foot biomechanics and overall health. Treatment strategies and methods of pain relief will also be shared.

ANATOMY OF THE FOOT & FOOT DEFORMITY 

As a baseline, understanding the anatomy and function of the foot is imperative, as is knowing how the shape and function of the foot is altered by deformity and disease (Figure 1). One of the most complex structures on the body, the foot has many moving parts, including 26 bones; 33 joints; and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. A network of blood vessels is also present. Anatomically speaking, the foot can be divided into the following sections: 

Alan Bryant Andrew Knox

Background

An ingrown toenail or onychocryptosis may occur at any age and is the mostly commonly encountered toenail problem likely to be seen in general practice.^1–3

Objective

This article will discuss the common surgical approaches available for the management of an ingrown toenail.

Discussion

Ingrown toenail can be a painful condition that can become infected and may require surgical treatment. The epidemiology of onychocryptosis is difficult to determine as it is often considered to be a minor medical problem and as such has been some-what neglected in the literature. The few studies that have been conducted suggest a slightly higher male-to-female ratio, partic-ularly in the 14–25 age group,4 but it can affect patients of any age. There are multiple reasons why an ingrown toenail will de-velop, including improper nail cutting technique, tight-fitting footwear, trauma, anatomical factors such as thickening of the nail plate, pincer-shaped toenail, pressure from abutting digits caused by hallux valgus or lesser toe deformities, the presence of a subungual exostosis and, occasionally, the use of isotretinoin in the treatment of severe acne.^5–7

Management of ingrown toenail

What is an ingrown toenail?

An ingrown toenail occurs when the nail edge is damaged, and the nail no longer fits properly into the side groove. The nail curls downward and digs into the skin, causing pain, swelling, redness, and drainage. Sometimes a piece of nail (called a lateral pointing spicule) becomes embedded in the side tissue, and the tissue becomes heaped up (hypertrophied).

What causes an ingrown toenail?

There are many causes for ingrown nails, but the two most common causes are poorly fitting shoes and improperly trimmed nails. Tight shoes compress the side of the nail and alter the fit of the nail in the groove. When nails are peeled off or torn, the edge of the nail can extend down into the corner of the nail groove. A torn nail can irritate the skin next to the nail, producing inflammation (swelling, pain, and redness) and sometimes infection.

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At Propel Physiotherapy, we often recommend our clients try shockwave therapy for plantar fasciitis. Due to its low-intensity nature, treatment can be observed with little, to no, side effects.

Shockwave Therapy is a non-invasive therapeutic device that works by delivering acoustic waves to the site of injury. The machine uses kinetic energy to reach the target area via a small applicator at the head of the SWT handle. This energy penetrates the skin sending a radial wave as deep as 7 centimetres into the body, with the highest pressure felt at the surface of the body.

This non-surgical treatment helps the body heal itself.

Have you noticed a sharp, stabbing pain at the bottom of your heel as you get up to go to the bathroom in the morning? Does the pain ease as you walk around a bit? If so, you might have plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is a very common cause of heel pain in the United States. About two million Americans are treated for this condition every year, according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Approximately ten percent of all Americans will suffer from plantar fasciitis in their lifetime.¹

Shock wave therapy has emerged as a possible treatment option for patients with chronic tendon problems. The procedure uses either pressurized air or electromagnetic pulses to delivers shock waves to the body to help treat a variety of chronic disorders, including:

The word “Fracture” implies to broken bone. A bone may get fractured completely or partially and it is caused commonly from trauma due to fall, motor vehicle accident or sports. Thinning of the bone due to osteoporosis in the elderly can cause the bone to break easily. Overuse injury is a common cause of stress fractures in athletes.

Types of fractures include:

• Simple fractures in which the fractured pieces of bone are well aligned and stable.
• Unstable fractures are those in which fragments of the broken bone are misaligned and displaced.
• Open (compound) fractures are severe fractures in which the broken bones cut through the skin. This type of fracture is more prone to infection and requires immediate medical attention.
• Greenstick fractures: This is a unique fracture in children that involves bending of one side of the bone without any break in the bone.

Fractures are not all the same, and neither are their treatments. A broken toe, for example, can be much simpler to treat than a compressed vertebrae or shattered leg. Sometimes, caring for a fracture requires more than a splint or cast. 

What kind of treatment your fracture needs depends on the type of injury you've sustained. But first — what is a fracture?