CMT Surgery Glossary

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Disease

An inherited neurological disorder that causes damage to the peripheral nerves—the nerves that transmit information and signals from the brain and spinal cord to and from the rest of the body, as well as sensory information such as touch back to the spinal cord and brain. It often leads to muscle weakness and atrophy, predominantly in the lower legs and feet.

Cavovarus Deformity

A complex foot deformity characterized by an abnormally high arch (cavus) and an inward turning of the heel (varus). It is extremely common in CMT patients due to muscle imbalances pulling the foot out of alignment over time.

Osteotomy

A surgical operation whereby a bone is cut to shorten or lengthen it or to change its alignment. In CMT foot reconstruction, osteotomies are often performed on the heel (calcaneus) or midfoot bones to flatten the arch and correct the varus deformity.

Tendon Transfer

A surgical procedure that moves a working tendon from its original attachment to a new location to restore function that has been lost due to nerve damage or muscle paralysis. This is frequently used in CMT to correct foot drop.

Foot Drop

A gait abnormality in which the dropping of the forefoot happens due to weakness, irritation or damage to the common fibular nerve including the sciatic nerve, or paralysis of the muscles in the anterior portion of the lower leg.

Hypermetabolic State

A condition in which the body's basal metabolic rate is significantly increased. Major surgery, such as orthopaedic reconstruction, triggers this state as the body expends massive amounts of energy to repair tissue, fuse bones, and fight potential infection.

Protein Pacing

The practice of consuming moderate portions of protein (e.g., 20g of whey isolate) at regular intervals (every 3 to 4 hours) throughout the day. This constant drip-feed of amino acids maximizes muscle protein synthesis and combats muscle atrophy during bed rest.

HMB (Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate)

A metabolite of the essential amino acid leucine. HMB supplementation is clinically used to slow down muscle protein breakdown and enhance muscle protein synthesis, making it highly valuable during periods of surgical immobilization to preserve lean mass.

Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

A blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in your lungs. In most cases, pulmonary embolism is caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from deep veins in the legs or, rarely, from veins in other parts of the body (deep vein thrombosis).

Apixaban (Eliquis)

A highly effective direct oral anticoagulant (blood thinner) used to prevent and treat blood clots. Patients on Apixaban must carefully manage surgical bleeding risks and avoid certain supplements (like high-dose Omega-3s or Curcumin) that naturally thin the blood.

Debridement

The medical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue. This is often necessary when surgical wounds fail to close properly or become necrotic.

Haemoglobin

A protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues and organs in the body and carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs. Iron is a critical component of haemoglobin.

Hepcidin

A hormone produced by the liver that regulates iron balance in the body. During periods of prolonged healing or inflammation, hepcidin levels rise, which locks away iron stores to starve potential bacteria, leading to the anaemia of inflammation.

Angiogenesis

The physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels. This is a vital step in wound healing as it supplies the necessary oxygen and nutrients to the repairing tissue.