Six-Week Old Neglected Homolateral Lisfranc Injury – A Case Report

INTRODUCTION: Lisfranc injury is relatively rare and is commonly missed at the initial presentation as these injuries are easily misdiagnosed as a foot sprain. We report a case of chronic foot pain following an injury which was later diagnosed to be a neglected 6 weeks old complex Lisfranc fracture dislocation. CASE REPORT: A 53-year-old man presented with chronic foot pain and swelling which was diagnosed to be a neglected 6-week-old homolateral type of Lisfranc injury (type A Hard castle and Meyerson). We treated him with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with plates and screws and achieved excellent functional outcome at 6-month follow-up period. DISCUSSION: Lisfranc injuries are frequently undetected with estimates ranging from 20% to 80%. Anteroposterior, lateral, and medial oblique views of the foot should be included in the radiological workup following a thorough physical examination. Our case will aid the deficient literature and guide the young surgeons in management of such cases. CONCLUSION: Given the history and nature of the injury, it can be easily missed by a beginner and the clinician must keep a high index of suspicion when treating these injuries in emergency department. To prevent the many complications linked to this kind of injury, it requires a correct diagnosis and timely treatment in the form of closed/open reduction and fixation. Delayed presentation of such cases can be treated with ORIF and good functional outcome can be achieved.