APMA News - February 2013 - (Page S1)

APMA SUPPLEMENT TO APMA NEWS your Trusted News and Information for Young Physicians FEBRUARY 2013 / ISSUE 10 LESIONS: BE AWARE By Barbara Bellione, RN, CPHRM, ARM Director of Risk Management, Podiatry Insurance Company of America Malignant melanoma and other cancers may occur on the soles of the feet, in nail beds, or in other areas of the foot. Therefore, it is important for the podiatric physician to carefully evaluate lesions, and if cancer is suspected, to perform a biopsy and refer the patient for appropriate follow-up and treatment. Consider the following case where the podiatric physician failed to consider the possibility that a lesion was cancerous. T APMA gratefully acknowledges the support of Upsher-Smith, sponsor of Your APMA, and PICA, founding sponsor of the Young Physicians’ Program. APMA IS SOCIAL: ARE YOU? he claimant was a 67-year-old borderline diabetic female. She had been a long-time patient of the podiatric physician for treatment of onychomycosis of all nails and chronic paronychia of the right hallux. It had been two years since she last saw the podiatric physician when she returned with complaints of extreme thickness of her right hallux nail and bleeding under the right hallux nail. The podiatric physician diagnosed and treated her for paronychia and onychomycosis. When the patient returned for a recheck five days later, the podiatric physician noted a dark speck on the nail area. The infection was resolving, and the nail area was healing well. The next time the podiatric physician saw the patient was two years later after she stubbed her toe. He diagnosed paronychia, onychomycosis, and partial traumatic avulsion of the right hallux nail, and performed an excision of the medial and lateral borders of the right hallux nail with permanent removal of corresponding nail matrix and a temporary removal of the remaining nail plate. Seven months later, the patient returned with complaints of the right hallux nail “not growing right.” The podiatric physician noted the nail to be thick, yellow, and incurvated at the end. The skin surrounding the nail was red, blotchy, and flaky. He diagnosed and treated her for dermatophytosis and onychomycosis. TWITTER. Catch up in 140 characters or fewer. @APMATweets FACEBOOK. Be our friend. www.facebook.com/TheAPMA YOUTUBE. Watch what we do next. www.youtube.com/user/TheAPMA Once a suspicious lesion is identified, immediately perform a biopsy…or refer the patient to an appropriate specialist. The patient returned a year later with complaints of numbness and pain in the right hallux and of continued deformity of the right hallux nail. The podiatric physician diagnosed onychomycosis and debrided the nail. Two months later, the patient returned with complaints of a sore area on the medial side of the first toe. A small wound laceration on the right hallux was noted. Discoloration of the nail on the right hallux was also noted, which the podiatric physician related to the topical fungal treatment. There was improvement of the onychomycosis. When the patient returned three months later for a recheck, she had continued Continued on Page 2 http://www.facebook.com/TheAPMA http://www.facebook.com/TheAPMA http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAPMA http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAPMA

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - February 2013

APMA News - February 2013
President’s Message
Table of Contents
Keeping Boots on the Ground: Podiatric Physicians in the Military
Catch Comedian Tom Cotter at The National Opening Session
Annual Meeting Sponsors
State Advocacy in Focus: Sowing Grassroots Advocacy
APMA Staff Celebrates 100th Anniversary with Time Capsule
Social Media 101: Strategies for Today’s Podiatrist
2012 Podiatric Practice Survey: Year of Graduation from Podiatric Medical College by Practice Arrangement Type
Reimbursement
Federal Advocacy Forum
APMAPAC Chair Report
IT Consultant
Website Wisdom
Small Business 101
Seeking Award Nominations
CPME Update
Resolutions Deadlines
Call for Abstracts
In Short
Worthy of Note
Call for Abstracts
List of Affi liated Organizations
Insurance Advisor
New Members
Death Notices
APMAPAC Update
Development Update
Classifi ed Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index
10 Questions
Your APMA
2013 Annual Scientific Meeting Preliminary Program

APMA News - February 2013