J Korean Fract Soc.  1999 Apr;12(2):335-343.

Comparison of the conservative and operative treatment of the intraarticular calcaneal fractures

• Kim CW
• Chung MY
• Jung KT
• Bae EH
• Park SH
• Park HK
• Jeong TH

Abstract

The calcaneal fracture, which is considered to be the most common tarsal bone fracture, has rather difficulty in accurate diagnosis, classification and proper treatment. Furthermore, its prognosis is not good, either. The authors analysed 68 intraarticular calcaneal fractures (Sanders type II & III only) out of 147 cases, which were treated operatively or conservatively from June 1990 to May 1997, and found out that the results of conservative and operative treatment were approximately the same. The length of follow-up ranged from one year to four and half years (mean, 2.7years). The results were as follows: Of the 24 conservatively treated group, seven had excellent; eleven good; four fair; and two poor result. Of the 44 operatively treated group, eleven had excellent; twenty seven good; five fair; and one poor result. The sum of excellent and good results in conservative and operative treatment group were 75.0% and 86.4% each other, and these were not meaningful statistically (p=0.400). Therefore, the authors recommend a conservative treatment as an effective alternative method for the intraarticular calcaneal fracture.

Keyword

Calcaneus; Intraarticular fracture; Conservative treatment

MeSH Terms

Calcaneus
Classification
Diagnosis
Follow-Up Studies
Intra-Articular Fractures
Prognosis
Tarsal Bones