Abstract
Calcaneal fracture can lead to long-term disability and have a considerable economic
effect. Most calcaneal fractures are intraarticular fractures involving the posterior
facet of the subtalar joint. Treating displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures
is complicated because of the lack of an optimal treatment option. Internal fixation
typically involves screw-and-plate implants, which can be unfavorable owing to the
lack of an anatomic design and the intraoperative bending required for the plate to
contour to the irregular surface of the calcaneus. We assessed the outcomes of 30
patients treated using innovative, anatomically designed calcaneal locking plates
and the perceived advantages for surgeons. Postoperative computed tomography images
of the affected feet were obtained, and the functional performance was recorded. The
mean average Böhler angle had increased significantly from 16.8° ± 14.9° to 28.5°
± 9.4° (p < .001). The mean average maximal fracture gap and maximal step-off in the posterior
facet of the subtalar joint in the coronal computed tomography images also decreased
significantly from 2.8 ± 3.7 mm to 0.8 ± 1.3 mm (p < .01) and from 3.3 ± 2.8 mm to 0.8 ± 1.2 mm (p < .001), respectively. The mean average American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Ankle-Hindfoot
scale score was 93.9 ± 7.1 at the final follow-up visit. In addition, the surgical
time was reduced because bending the plate was not required and the quality of reduction
could be assessed easily by examining the gap between the cortex and the plate. The
results were promising, revealing that the anatomic locking plate can be used effectively
in the treatment of displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures using simple reduction
techniques with a potentially shortened operating time.
Level of Clinical Evidence
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 06, 2017
Footnotes
Financial Disclosure: None reported.
Conflict of Interest: Dr. Chu is involved in the design of the plate described in the present study.
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. All rights reserved.
