What is the Role of Podiatric Surgery in the Elderly Patient?
– Simple surgical procedures that have high impact but low risk in the older patients
Within the next decade, Australia will have over 5 million residents aged over 65 years. Foot pain, foot deformities and arthritis are more common late in life and predictions are that within the next decade over 1.3 million older Australians will be living with foot pain. Foot and ankle problems in particular Hallux valgus and hammer toes associated with decreased plantar tactile strength increase the risk of falls in older people. While research has shown multifaceted podiatry interventions can produce significant reductions in falls rate, to date there has been no studies to look at the potential role of foot surgery in falls prevention.
Hallux valgus and hammer toes are a progressive deformity which are often do not cause significant functional problems until later in life which raises the question should we be considering surgical correction of these deformities at a younger age?
Conservative therapies are a priority when addressing the geriatric population, but surgical options may be overlooked secondary to a misunderstanding of their ability to overcome perioperative management so there is a tendency to shy away from presenting surgical options, the common belief being “too old,” “too risky,” “won’t heal” and “just live with it.”
The need for foot surgery increases with age so perioperative assessment and screening of patients is an important component of assessing suitability and surgical management of the elderly patient.
Not all foot surgery needs to be complex, risky or have a long convalescence. There is a range of simple surgical procedures, commonly overlooked that can be performed safely under local anesthesia on a day surgery basis that can provide a significant reduction in foot pain and improvement in quality of life.
Presented by:
A Podiatric Surgeon with over ten years of surgical practice specialising in reconstructive and elective surgery of the foot, Angelo continues to advance his surgical repertoire by providing patients the option of minimal incision surgery (MIS) in isolation or in combination with traditional approaches.
Angelo also has vast experience with occupational related musculoskeletal injuries of the foot and ankle including novel assessment of gait related disturbances utilising F-scan plantar pressure analysis.
Angelo is vice president of The Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons and the Chief Executive Officer and foot surgeon at Adelaide Ambulatory Day Surgery. Located at the East Adelaide Medical Centre, AADS is an accredited facility that offers patients the convenience and the affordability of having foot surgery and procedures performed with the highest level of safety within a day surgery setting.
Angelo is a visiting lecturer at the University of SA in podiatric surgery clinical studies 400 and provides observational placements for undergraduate podiatry students. He is a reviewer for The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery and was awarded a Fellowship with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.
Outside of work Angelo enjoys challenging himself physically and mentally and has achieved personal goals such as climbing to base camp at Mt Everest and trekking to Machu Picchu and Ausangate in the Andes of Peru.