Preparing for Case Review
Podiatry Logging Service (PLS)
Log all post-residency procedures for which you were the surgeon of record into the Podiatry Logging Service (PLS) for Surgery.
For the Case Review exam, ABFAS will request complete documentation for the required number of foot and RRA surgery cases (currently 11 for each) that are in your PLS logs. ABFAS performs a hospital/surgery center audit as part of determining your eligibility for Case Review.
Logging Cases
You must log all surgical procedures into PLS in order to qualify for ABFAS certification. Residency cases do not meet the surgeon of record requirement, therefore do not log residency cases. You may log fellowship cases if you were surgeon of record.
Please remember to enter into PLS all post-residency surgical procedures that you performed as surgeon of record. If, however, you are already certified in Foot Surgery and seeking only RRA Surgery certification, you may log only post-residency RRA procedures.
Case Number and Diversity Requirements
The PLS system will inform you when you have met the quantity and diversity requirements. If you click on the link at the top of the “Manage Case” page, which states “Do I meet the requirements?”, it will generate a report that shows the number of cases in each qualifying category.
If you have taken Case Review previously and were unsuccessful, ABFAS cannot use those cases again. Therefore, while you may meet the required minimum number of cases, you may not have enough cases to meet case selection criteria. This is why it’s important for you to continue logging all cases until you pass Case Review.
In the report, the bottom of the table shows the minimum number of cases you need for Foot and for RRA case review eligibility. The center section addresses whether you have enough cases for ABFAS to select cases for the exam.
PLS Checklist
When logging cases, make sure you check the following details as you log each case.
- Ensure you log cases with the correct procedure code in PLS. Note: Failure to correctly log the procedure type is a common error.
- Ensure that you are listed as the only surgeon (not co-surgeon, assistant surgeon, or any other designation) on all operative reports and all chart materials for every procedure on the list.
- Ensure you are listed as the surgeon of record (not co-surgeon) in the intraoperative anesthesia record or circulating nurse’s notes.
- List every procedure performed and documented in the operative report.
Case Review: Summary of Changes
ABFAS has made two important changes to the 2020 Case Review exam. First, we have deleted the requirement of a minimum 10 RRA Elective Osseous and minimum 2 RRA Nonelective Osseous in Appendix B. Instead, you will need to log 13 cases from any procedures listed below.
RRA Elective Osseous
- 5.2.4 midfoot, rearfoot, or ankle fusion
- 5.2.5 midfoot, rearfoot, or tibial osteotomy
- 5.2.9 ankle implant
- 5.2.10 corticotomy or osteotomy with callus distraction/correction of complex deformity of the midfoot, rearfoot, ankle, or tibia
RRA Nonelective Osseous
- 5.4.1 open repair of adult midfoot fracture
- 5.4.2 open repair of adult rearfoot fracture
- 5.4.3 open repair of adult ankle fracture
- 5.4.4 open repair of pediatric rearfoot/ankle fracture or dislocation
This change should help you qualify for RRA case review. Please make sure you are logging your cases in PLS.
Second, when you take the exam, you will only need to upload 11 cases, not 13. This will benefit you by not reducing the number of cases remaining in your selection pool in case you need to sit for Case Review again.