Retrograde calcaneo-talo-tibial nail, subtalar arthrodesis and fibula transposition in the treatment of traumatic bone and articulatory defect of the distal tibia and talocrural joint: A case report()

High-energy trauma of the lower leg can cause conditions such as bone defects, loss of the articular surface or a complex soft tissue injury. Given the type of the injury, as well as the often poor general status of the patient, the initial treatment usually consists of debridement and external fixation. The role of the retrograde calcaneo-talo-tibial nail is acknowledged in the treatment of post-traumatic arthritis of the talocrural joint, rheumatic arthritis, the neuropathic joint as well as some other conditions. We present a case of a thirty-five-year-old man with a lower leg fracture and significant bone defect associated with the loss of the articular surface of the distal tibia which was treated with a retrograde calcaneo-talo-tibial nail. Due to the lack of an adequate implant on the market, an inversely introduced tibial nail was used. Following the nailing of the fracture and the recovery of the soft tissue, transposition of the ipsilateral fibula was performed. Nowadays, different methods for bone defect reconstruction are available such as distraction osteogenesis, bone transport, and the Masquelet technique. However, the calcaneo-talo-tibial nail and transposition of the fibula is another feasible and effective option, especially for unreconstructable joint surfaces.