Medicolegal Aspects of Foot and Ankle Surgery

Medicolegal aspects of orthopaedic foot and ankle surgery, including issues of standard of care, complications, and discrepancies between patient and physician expectations, generally are similar to those encountered in other orthopaedic subspecialties. However, there are some unique aspects involving foot and ankle surgery: the standard of care continues to evolve, some complications are specific to the foot and ankle, and patient expectations of particular foot and ankle procedures may exceed those of the foot and ankle surgeon, who often is confronted with challenging pathologic conditions. This review addresses issues of standard of care and complications as they pertain to current practices of orthopaedic foot and ankle surgery.