A Comparative Study between Lateral Approach Alone and Combination of Medial and Lateral Approaches for Intra-Articular Calcaneal Fractures with Displaced Sustentaculum Fragment

CATEGORY: Hindfoot; Trauma INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE: In intra-articular calcaneal fractures, the sustentaculum fragment, which is the reference for reduction, often undergoes varus plantar flexion displacement and requires accurate reduction. Although the lateral approach is generally used as a surgical approach, it is considered that the use of the combination of medial and lateral approaches can achieve more accurate reduction. Here we report a comparative study of between the group with the lateral approach alone (L-group) and the group with the combination of the medial and lateral approaches (ML-group) for calcaneal fractures with displacement of sustentaculum fragment. METHODS: L-group included 11 feet, six feet of which were categorized as Sanders classification type 2, four as type 3, one as type 4. ML-group included 14 feet, ten as type 2, two as type 3, two as type 4. In both groups, small incision such as sinus tarsi approach were used for lateral approach and screws and/or plates were used for fixation. We assessed Creighton-Nebraska scale, pre- and postoperative width and height of the calcaneal body, step of subtalar joint surface and inclination angle of the sustentaculum fragment. RESULTS: The mean postoperative clinical evaluation for the L-group / ML-group was 90.5+-7.9 points / 87.2+-9.6 points respectively. The pre- and postoperative image assessments showed improvements in the mean width from 123.4+-15.3% to 110.3+-14.1% / 129.9+-23.1% to 109.9+-14.1%, in the mean height from 88.1+-5.2% to 98.1+-3.7% / 86.0+-9.6% to 95.4+-5.9%, in the step of subtalar joint surface from 9.0+-6.3mm to 0.9+-1.1mm / 10.0+-8.0mm to 0.7+-1.0mm, and in the inclination angle of sustentaculum fragment from 10.3+-5.1 ° to 5.5+-5.0 ° / 12.1+-7.5 ° to 0.5+-1.0 °, respectively. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the inclination angle of the sustentaculum fragment, but no significant difference was observed in the other assessments. Complications were more common with ML-group. CONCLUSION: Displacement of the sustentaculum fragment in calcaneal fractures can be more reduced accurately by using the combination of medial and lateral approaches, although there is no significant difference in clinical results.