Treatment of Intraarticular Calcaneal Fractures using Ilizarov Exteranl Fixation

Seong, Byeong Yeon; Park, Dong Seong; Park, Seung Jun; Kim, Sang Wook

Abstract

Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is gaining in popularity as method of choice for the treatment of displaced intraarticular calcaneal fracture since diagnosis and classification of computed tomography have become routine. But early weight-bearing cannot be allowed by convertional ORIF, and delayed weight-bearing may contributed to heel had pain and dystrophy. We performed combined technique of limited internal fixation and Ilizrov external fixation to ten-cases of displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures, between February 1994 and February 1996. The follow-up period in this study was at least two years. This method can provide not only anatomical reduction, but also stable fixation. None of patients complained of heel pad pain, which was attributed to the desensitization of the heel by early weight-bearing. None of patients went on to late collapse of the posterior facet. clinical results were rated as excellent in six, good in three, and fair in one case. Pin-track infection, complicated operative technique, cumbersomeness and expensiveness of the external fixator itself were shortcomings of this method. We consider this method as one of options for the treatment of displaced intraarticular calcaneal fracture.