BOFAS News & Events

This pages lists all the latest news and upcoming events.

 

To access 'Foot Print' (the BOFAS Bulletin) please click here (members only)

 

Latest News

Togay Koç
/ Categories: Abstracts, 2023, Podium

PATH-2 trial: platelet rich plasma for acute Achilles tendon rupture, two-year follow-up of the randomised, placebo-controlled, superiority trial

J. Alsousou, D. Keene, P. Harrison, H. O’connor, S. Wagland, S. Dutton, P. Hulley, S. Lamb, K. Willett

Background: The PATH-2 trial found no evidence of a benefit of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injection versus a placebo after Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) at six-months. ATR often leave longer-term functional deficiencies beyond six months. This study aim is to determine if PRP affect tendon functional outcomes at two-years after rupture.

Study Design: Randomised multi-centre two-arm parallel-group, participant- and assessor-blinded, superiority trial.

Methods: Adults with acute ATR managed non-surgically were recruited in 19 UK hospitals from 2015 to 2019. Exclusions were insertion or musculotendinous injuries, leg injury or deformity, diabetes, haematological disorder, corticosteroids and anticoagulation therapy. Participants were randomised via an online system 1:1 to PRP or placebo. Primary outcome was Achilles Tendon Rupture Score (ATRS) at two-years. Secondary outcomes were pain, Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), SF-12 and re-rupture. Assessors were blinded. Intention-to-treat and Compliance Average Causal effects (CACE) analyses were carried out. Consistency of effects across subgroups age, BMI, smoking and gender were assessed using Forest plots. Pearson’s correlation was used to explore ATRS correlation with blood and growth factors.

Results: 216/230 (94%) participants completed the 6-months follow-up were contacted. 182/216 (84%) completed the two-year follow-up. Participants were aged mean 46 (SD 13.0), 57 female/159 male. 96% received the allocated intervention. Two-years ATRS scores were 82.2 (SD 18.3) in the PRP group (n=85) and 83.8 (SD 16.0) in the placebo group (n=92). There was no evidence of a difference in the two-years ATRS (adjusted-mean difference -0.752 95%CI -5.523 to 4.020, p=0.757), or in any secondary outcome, and no re-rupture between at two-years. Neither PRP cellular or growth factors correlated with the two-year ATRS.

Conclusion: PRP did not improve patient-reported function or quality of life two-years after acute Achilles tendon rupture, compared with placebo, indicating that PRP offers no patient benefit in the longer term.

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BOFAS Hosted Events

These courses are aimed at Higher Surgical Trainees / ST3 onwards and are designed to teach the core of Foot and Ankle surgery in an informal and interactive environment. The emphasis is on clinical examination cases, discussion groups and typical day-to-day clinic scenarios. Although not an exam preparation course, content is taught to the standard expected in the FRCS(Tr & Orth) exam; that of a day-one non-specialist orthopaedic consultant. Applications will open on 1st September 2024.

Venue - London Chigwell Prince Regent Hotel, Woodford, Chigwell, Woodford Green IG8 8AE

 

 

Documents to download

Course Venue - Keele Anatomy and Surgical Training Centre, Keele University Staffordshire.

This first BOFAS principles course has been designed as a collaborative project of the Education Committee of the Society with the help of expert surgeons experienced in percutaneous surgery.  It is designed to teach high level percutaneous surgery, with a strong focus on hands on cadaveric lab exposure with 70% of the course time spent in the lab, one cadaveric specimen per delegate and a delegate to faculty ratio of 2:1 to allow for good, supervised instruction.

The course fee is heavily subsidised by Industry, includes 2 nights’ accommodation at Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, Keele, plus a course dinner at Keele Hall, Keele University, and as such is one of the best value independent cadaveric courses in the field. Following the ethos of all BOFAS instructional courses, the course will be conducted in an informal and interactive environment, to facilitate good discussions with faculty throughout the event.

 

 

Documents to download

This courses is designed to develop and extend the knowledge and skills of training foot and ankle surgeons. Techniques of arthroscopic surgery of the joints, ligaments and tendons of the ankle and foot will be presented and demonstrated. Basic Skills covers the more common procedures which a foot and ankle surgeon would be likely to need. Delegates will be given ample time to develop their skills in each of the areas listed below using cadaver limbs. Questions and case presentations will be encouraged with an expert and interactive faculty.

Anterior ankle
Posterior ankle 
Haglund’s surgery
Sub-talar joint
Tendoscopy
Arthroscopic Ankle fusion
1st MTP joint

 

Documents to download

This courses is designed to develop and extend the knowledge and skills of established foot and ankle surgeons. Techniques of arthroscopic surgery of the joints, ligaments and tendons of the ankle and foot will be presented and demonstrated. Advanced Skills covers some more advanced and emerging techniques. Delegates will be given ample time to develop their skills in each of the areas listed below using cadaver limbs. Questions and case presentations will be encouraged with an expert and interactive faculty.

1st MTP joint
Arthroscopic lateral and medial ligament repair FHL transfer
Peroneal groove and Tibialis posterior
Tarsal coalition excision
Sub-talar fusion
Chopart joint fusion

 

Documents to download

BOFAS Principles Course Taunton

These courses are aimed at Higher Surgical Trainees / ST3 onwards and are designed to teach the core of Foot and Ankle surgery in an informal and interactive environment. The emphasis is on clinical examination cases, discussion groups and typical day-to-day clinic scenarios. Although not an exam preparation course, content is taught to the standard expected in the FRCS(Tr & Orth) exam; that of a day-one non-specialist orthopaedic consultant. Applications will open on 1st September 2023.

Venue - Taunton (TBC)

 

 

Documents to download


 

BOFAS Supported Events

Other Upcoming Events / Courses