S3.E18 - Pod Patrol LIVE at the Wisconsin Foot & Ankle Conference with Dr. Scott Carrington

LIVE from the Wisconsin Foot & Ankle Conference

Recorded live at the Wisconsin Foot and Ankle Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this special on-location episode of Pod Patrol brings together host Dr. Jeff Dikis and guest Dr. Scott Carrington — faculty at the LaCrosse, WI residency program — for a deep dive into some of the most contested decisions in foot and ankle surgery. The two tackle deltoid versus syndesmosis repair in ankle fractures, walking through intraoperative stress testing techniques, the role of the AITFL, and when primary deltoid repair is warranted even after syndesmotic fixation looks clean on fluoroscopy. They also address the same question in the context of progressive collapsing foot deformity — whether correcting the flatfoot is enough or whether the deltoid still needs to be addressed directly.

The conversation then shifts to the Achilles, covering two separate debates: open versus minimally invasive Haglund's deformity repair, and minimally invasive fixation versus non-operative management for acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Dr. Dikis and Dr. Carrington discuss the case for preserving native tendon attachment through MIS, techniques for managing intertendinous calcifications, anchor placement and testing, and the growing body of research showing aggressive functional rehab producing re-rupture rates under 1%. Both agree they'd still choose operative repair for themselves and elite athletes, but acknowledge the data is making that conversation harder to ignore.