Description 
Listen in as host Nicholas Strasser, MD, has a lively discussion with our Leonard Goldner award winners, Gregory P. Guyton, MD, and Mitchell C. Tarka, MD, as they discuss use of the Monte-Carlo method to evaluate data censoring on the largest operative vs. nonoperative Achilles tendon trial. This discussion covers a historical discussion of previously performed trials along with clinical applications on how to use modern Achilles tendon literature when discussing management with patients.

Commercial Support
2023 CME Podcasts are provided free to AOFAS members and orthopaedic residents/fellows with funding from the Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Foundation, supported by grants from Stryker.

• Identify historical contexts for operative and nonoperative treatments.
• Reference modern literature relevant to functional rehab.
• Understand the nuances in the largest Achilles tendon rupture trial comparing operative and nonoperative approaches.

A need for this educational activity has been determined based on previous course evaluations and the AOFAS educational curriculum. The content of this course was based on current issues and topics provided by AOFAS membership and leadership. For more information on the AOFAS CME mission, visit aofas.org/education.

AOFAS requires all instructors, planners, and other individuals in a position to control or influence the content of an educational activity to disclose all relevant financial relationships or affiliations during the past 12 months with any commercial interest (any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing healthcare goods and services consumed by, or used on patients). All identified conflicts of interest must be resolved and the education content vetted by AOFAS for fair balance, scientific objectivity, and appropriateness. AOFAS also requires faculty to disclose when off-label/unapproved uses of a product are discussed in a CME activity. AOFAS attests that the persons responsible for the development of this educational activity did so independently and were not influenced by commercial supporters. All financial disclosures will be provided to meeting attendees in the final program materials.

The material presented in this continuing medical education activity has been made available by the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) for educational purposes only. This material is not intended to represent the only, nor necessarily the best, methods or procedures appropriate for the medical situation discussed, but rather is intended to present an approach, view, statement, or opinion of the authors or presenters, which may be helpful or of interest to other practitioners. Methods, techniques, and procedures demonstrated and views and opinions expressed by speakers, presenters, and faculty are their own, and do not necessarily represent those of AOFAS, nor does presentation on the program represent or constitute endorsement or promotion by AOFAS. AOFAS expressly disclaims any warranties or guarantees, expressed or implied, and shall not be liable for damages of any kind in connection with the material, methods, information, techniques, opinions, or procedures expressed, presented, or demonstrated.

FDA Statement
Some drugs or medical devices demonstrated at this meeting have not been cleared by the FDA or have been cleared by the FDA for specific purposes only. The FDA has stated that it is the responsibility of the physician to determine the FDA clearance status of each drug or medical devices he or she wishes to use in clinical practice. AOFAS policy provides that “off label” uses of a drug or medical device may be described in its CME activities so long as the “off label” use of the drug or medical device is also specifically disclosed (i.e., it must be disclosed that the FDA has not cleared the drug or device for the described purpose). Any drug or medical device is being used “off label” if the described use is not set forth on the products approval label.

Faculty/Planner Disclosure Declaration
As an Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) provider, AOFAS has the obligation to ensure the delivery of education that is balanced and free of commercial bias. To achieve this, it is the policy of the AOFAS that all CME-related board members, committee members (“planners”), faculty, and appropriate staff disclose in writing to the learners’ all financial relationships that you have had in the past 24 months with ineligible companies. An “ineligible company” are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

In addition to faculty members, commentators from the floor are charged with verbally disclosing any interests immediately prior to speaking. All disclosures are provided in this final program distributed at the meeting to all program participants.

In accordance with AOFAS policy:
Faculty participation in this educational activity will be predicated upon timely submission and review of AOFAS disclosure. An individual who refuses to disclose all financial relationships will be disqualified from being a planning committee member, a teacher, or an author of CME, and cannot have control of, or responsibility for, the development, management, presentation, or evaluation of the CME activity. Non-compliance will result in a faculty member being stricken from the program.

An indication of the participant’s disclosure appears after his or her name as well as the ineligible company that provided the support. AOFAS does not view the existence of these disclosed interests or commitments as necessarily implying bias or decreasing the value of the author’s participation in this activity. In addition to ensuring that presentations be free of bias, faculty members are required to ensure that all material presented and discussed will be based on best- available evidence.

Podcast Faculty Disclosures

Mitchell C. Tarka, MD
abbvie: Stock or stock options 
Butterfly Network: Stock or stock options 
NuVasive: Stock or stock options

Gregory P. Guyton, MD
Arthrex: Royalties
Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research: Editorial/Governing board - Publications
Director, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery: Board member/Committee Member
Exactech: Paid Consultant
Foot and Ankle International: Editorial/Governing board - Publications
Paragon28: Paid Consultant
Stryker: Royalties

Nicholas L. Strasser MD
Wright/Stryker medical: Grant/Research Support 

OnDemand Education Committee Disclosures (Planners)

Jason Ahuero MD
Nothing to Disclose

Nasef Mohamed N Abdelatif PhD, MD 
Arthrex Inc.: Paid Consultant 

Brad D. Blankenhorn MD
Nothing to Disclose 

Timothy Charlton MD 
Extremity Medical: Royalties

Cesar de Cesar Netto MD, PhD 
AAOS: Board member/Committee Member 
AOFAS: Board member/Committee Member 
Artelon: Paid Consultant, Royalties 
CurveBeam: Paid Consultant, Stock or stock options 
Foot & Ankle International: Editorial/Governing board - Publications 
Foot and Ankle Clinics: Editorial/Governing board - Publications 
International WBCT Society: Board member/Committee Member 
Medartis: Paid Consultant, Royalties 
Paragon 28: Grant/Research Support, Paid Consultant, Royalties 
Stryker: Paid Consultant 
Tayco Brace: Stock-privately held company 
Zimmer-Biomet: Paid Consultant, Royalties 

Tyler Gonzalez MD, MBA 
DJO: Paid Consultant 
Exactech: Paid Consultant 
Stryker: Paid Consultant 
Treace Medical Concepts Inc: Paid Consultant 

Adam T. Groth MD 
Nothing to Disclose

Mark Hagy MD 
Nothing to Disclose

Kurt Hofmann MD 
AOFAS: Board member/Committee Member 
Centric Medical: Paid Consultant 
Globus Medical: Paid Consultant 
Isto: Grant/Research Support

Anny Hsu MD 
Nothing to Disclose

J. Benjamin Jackson MD, MBA 
Nothing to Disclose

Jeffrey Jockel MD
Nothing to Disclose
 
Anish R. Kadakia MD 
Acumed: Royalties 
Arthrex Inc.: Paid Consultant, Royalties, Speakers' Bureau 
elsevier: Royalties - Publisher 
Johnson & Johnson: Royalties 

Kristin L. Kress MD 
Nothing to Disclose

Wonyong Lee MD 
Nothing to Disclose

Pamela Luk MD
AOFAS: Board member/Committee Member 

Jacob Matz FRCSC
Nothing to Disclose

Pradeep Moonot FRCS, MRCS, MS
Nothing to Disclose

Joseph Park MD
American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society: Board member/Committee Member 
DePuy  A Johnson & Johnson Company: Grant/Research Support, Paid Consultant, Speakers' Bureau 
Integra LifeSciences: Grant/Research Support, Royalties - Publisher 
LifeNet Health: Paid Consultant 
Saunders/Mosby-Elsevier: Royalties - Publisher 

Sudheer C. Reddy MD
Nothing to Disclose

Jeremy Saller MD
Nothing to Disclose

Rachel Shakked MD
Arthrex Inc.: Speakers' Bureau 

Jeremy Smith MD
AAOS: Editorial/Governing board - Publications 
AOFAS: Board member/Committee Member 
Arthrex Inc.: Fellowship Support 
Patient Apps: Stock-privately held company 
Rogerson Orthopedic: Fellowship Support 
Springer Publishing: Royalties 

W. Bret Smith DO
Nothing to Disclose

Nicholas L. Strasser MD
Wright/Stryker medical: Grant/Research Support 

Eric W. Tan MD
Arthrex Inc.: Paid Consultant, Speakers' Bureau 
Red Point Medical: Paid Consultant, Stock-privately held company 
Stryker: Paid Consultant, Speakers' Bureau