Review of Talus Fractures and Surgical Timing

Emergency definitive management of a subtalar dislocation with an associated lateral malleolus fracture

Lateral subtalar dislocations are rare injuries with the potential for misdiagnosis and for poor patient outcomes if missed. Prompt reduction and surgical intervention is the consensus and is key to improved patient outcomes.We present a case of a male patient in his 70s who was brought in by ambulance to the emergency department late one afternoon with a lateral subtalar dislocation associated with calcaneal and lateral malleolar fractures. He was operated on that evening, involving cannulated screw fixation of the calcaneus and buttress plating of the lateral malleolus. Non-weight-bearing mobilisation was permitted at 2 weeks and weight-bearing was commenced at 6 weeks postoperatively.The authors could not find any precedent in the literature for same-day definitive fixation and early mobilisation of this rare but significant injury, the combination of which resulted in excellent functional outcomes for the patient.

A comparative study of three different approaches in treatment of talar neck fractures

Purpose

The primary objective of this study was to observe and compare the radiographic and clinical outcomes among three different approaches which are anteromedial, anterolateral and combined approach in patients of talar neck fractures. The secondary objective was to observe various complications.

Material and method

A total of 30 patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) from September 2018 to march 2020 were selected retrospectively. 10 patients were there in each group. Talar neck fractures were classified according to Hawkins classification. All patients underwent ORIF with 4 mm Herbert screws. The follow-up examination included radiological evaluation, clinical and functional outcomes according to American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hind-foot score (AOFAS).

Results

30 patients were followed up for an average of 20.85 months (range 16-24). The mean time to bony union was 17.25 weeks, 17.35 weeks and 15.92 weeks in groups operated with anteromedial approach, anterolateral approach and combined approach respectively. The mean AOFAS hind-foot score was 76.34, 77.16 and 78.34 at 18th month follow-up in all three groups respectively. In each group, 1 patient had deep wound infection and 2 patients had superficial wound infection. Subtalar arthritis was the most common complication.

Conclusion

There is no significant difference between the three groups in terms of AOFAS hind-foot score, further combined approach provides better visualization of talus fractures and early bony union but it takes longer duration of surgery with increased post-operative complications in comparison with other two groups.

Talar body and posterior talar process fracture combined with peritalar luxation (clinical case)

The uniqueness of this clinical case is due to a rare combination of peritalar luxation of the talus with a fracture of its body and posterior process. No description of the same clinical case was found in the literature, however, it has been proven that such injuries have an unfavorable prognosis and are fraught with multiple complications. Also, the limited information associated with the low inci-dence of this type of severe injury puts practitioners in front of the difficulties of diagnosis and treatment. A 35-year-old man was injured while playing basketball. Upon admission, computed tomography (CT) revealed a fracture of the body of the talus with displacement of the distal fragment and its dislocation in the talonavicular, subtalar and talo-tibial joints, as well as a fracture of the posterior process of the talus. After an unsuccessful attempt at closed reduction, open removal of the dislocation and reposition of fragments were per-formed, followed by osteosynthesis of the fracture of the body of the talus. In the postoperative period, additional immobilization in the ANF was performed, followed by replacement with a functional orthosis. 6 months after the injury, the patient restored the level of his daily activities almost completely, the control CT showed no signs of post-traumatic arthrosis of the subtalar and ankle joints, how-ever, there were signs of the development of partial aseptic necrosis of the talus. This injury is unique, and despite its severity, the use of the correct treatment tactics can provide a satisfactory clinical and functional outcome.

Effect of percutaneous and arthroscopically assisted osteosynthesis of talar body fractures

BACKGROUND

Talar fractures are relatively uncommon, and the complex anatomy of the talus impedes their visualization, reduction, and fixation without performing an arthrotomy or osteotomy. To date, few studies have evaluated the complications of arthroscopically assisted percutaneous talar osteosynthesis. This clinical retrospective study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of this procedure according to the complications and functional outcomes.

METHODS

Arthroscopically assisted percutaneous talar osteosynthesis was performed in 15 patients (10 men and 5 women) with 16 fractures (one bilateral). The mean patient age was 31 years (range, 14-52 years). The Sneppen classification of the fractures was type II in 14 cases and type III in 2 cases.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients were followed up for 36 months on average (range, 18-65 months). No skin infection, osteomyelitis, or skin necrosis was observed in any patient. During the follow-up, no bony non-union or delayed union was found. At the final follow-up, 2 out of the 15 patients (13.3%) had peri-talar osteoarthritis. The ankle-hindfoot pain was absent in 11 patients (12 ankles) and mild in 4 patients. Based on the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale, functional results were excellent in 7 ankles and good in 9 ankles. The mean AOFAS ankle-hindoot score of the patients was 85.7 (range, 79-93).

CONCLUSION

Arthroscopically assisted percutaneous talar osteosynthesis is a reliable and feasible technique that yields good clinical outcomes.

Talus Fractures: All I need to know

Talus fractures result following high energy trauma and can lead to significant functional impairment. The complex morphology of the talus, it's multiple articulations and tenuous blood supply translate into significant challenges that must be overcome to achieve the best possible outcomes. Despite advances made in their management, they continue to have high complication rates. Nonetheless, restoration of normal alignment will optimise outcomes. In this article, we report on the epidemiology, anatomy, classification, patient evaluation and current evidence for the management of talus fractures.

Patient reported outcome of 33 operatively treated talar fractures

BACKGROUND

Management of talar fractures remains to be one of the most challenging aspects in trauma surgery. Unfortunately, the evidence regarding the correct treatment of these fractures is mainly based on retrospective case series, while studies assessing the patient-reported outcome are rare. Therefore, the aim of this trial was to analyze the patient reported outcome in context of trauma mechanism and concomitant injuries following operative treatment of talar fractures.

METHODS

A retrospective outcome study of patients with operatively treated talar fractures between 2003 and 2015 was conducted. The fractures were classified according to AO-/Hawkins classification system and to the Marti-Weber classification. Data was collected via patient registry, radiographs and a validated patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for foot and ankle pathologies (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score = FOAS). An analysis regarding the functional outcome, concomitant injury and timing of surgery using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman`s rank correlation was performed.

RESULTS

In total the functional outcome of 32 patients suffering from fractures to the talus were analyzed. The median age of the study cohort was 35±12.2 years, including 9 female (28 %) and 23 male (72 %) patients. The median FAOS score was 72±22.7 (range 13-94). Patients with an isolated talar fracture had an FAOS of 87±20 and with concomitant injury a score of 60±23.4 (p = 0.016). Patients with a closed talar fracture without emergency operation due to dislocation or polytrauma, showed no correlation between timing of surgery and FAOS (r= -0.17, p = 0.43). 10 % of the patients developed an avascular necrosis and 25 % showed signs of a posttraumatic arthritis. The follow-up time was 41 months (range: 16-145).

CONCLUSIONS

Talar fractures were typically caused by high-energy trauma often associated with additional injuries of the lower extremity. The majority of the patients showed a fair to poor functional long-term outcome. Concomitant injuries of the lower extremity led to a lower FAOS. In closed talar fractures without the necessity of an emergency surgical intervention, time to surgery did not influence the patient reported outcome. Relating to the presented data, delayed surgery after soft tissue consolidation was not associated with a higher risk of developing an avascular necrosis.

High Burden of Associated Injuries Occurring With Major Fractures of the Talus

BACKGROUND

Talus fractures are severe injuries typically occurring after high-energy trauma. As a result, associated injuries to different anatomic sites and organ systems occur with high frequency. The objective of this study was to determine what injuries occur with high incidence in patients presenting with major fractures of the talus and to identify clinical injury patterns that may warrant special attention in these patients.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of patients presenting to 3 level 1 trauma centers with fractures of the talar neck, body, or head over a 14-year period. Patient charts were reviewed for associated orthopedic and nonorthopedic injuries identified during the initial patient encounter and hospitalization.

RESULTS

In total, 262 fractures in 258 unique patients met criteria for inclusion. Overall, 33.3% of talus fractures occurred in isolation. One or more associated injuries were identified in the remainder of cases (66.7%). The incidence of associated injuries was similar across fracture patterns. Mean total number of injuries per patient was 2.2 (range, 0-15). The ipsilateral foot was the most frequent site of associated orthopedic injury. Noncontiguous injuries occurred in 36% of cases. Lumbar spine injury occurred in 10.5% of cases. Lower extremity vascular injury was uncommon but bore significant association with open talus fractures.

CONCLUSION

Talus fractures are commonly associated with injuries to different anatomic sites and organ systems. A similar rate of lumbar spine trauma may occur with major talus fractures as has been historically associated with calcaneal fractures. Thorough evaluation and a high index of suspicion are necessary when evaluating patients with major fractures of the talus to avoid missing concomitant injuries.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, retrospective case series.

Fractures of the Talus: Current Concepts

Talus fractures continue to represent a challenging and commonly encountered group of injuries. Its near-complete articular cartilage surface, and its role in force transmission between the leg and foot, makes successful treatment of such injuries a mandatory prerequisite to regained function. Familiarity with the complex bony, vascular, and neurologic anatomy is crucial for understanding diagnostic findings, treatment indications, and surgical techniques to maximize the likelihood of anatomic bony union. This review details the structure and function of the talus, a proper diagnostic workup, the treatment algorithm, and post-treatment course in the management of talus fractures.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Peritalar Injuries in the Acute Trauma Setting: A Review of the Literature

The bony and ligamentous structure of the foot is a complex kinematic interaction, designed to transmit force and motion in an energy-efficient and stable manner. Visible deformity of the foot or atypical patterns of swelling should raise significant concern for foot trauma. In some instances, disruption of either bony structure or supporting ligaments is identified years after injury due to chronic pain in the hindfoot or midfoot. This article will focus on injuries relating to the peritalar complex, the bony articulation between the tibia, talus, calcaneus, and navicular bones, supplemented with multiple ligamentous structures. Attention will be given to the five most common peritalar injuries to illustrate the nature of each and briefly describe methods for achieving the correct diagnosis in the context of acute trauma. This includes subtalar dislocations, chopart joint injuries, talar fractures, navicular fractures, and occult calcaneal fractures.

Long-term radiographic and clinical-functional outcomes of isolated, displaced, closed talar neck and body fractures treated by ORIF: the timing of surgical management

BACKGROUND

The main purpose of this retrospective case series study was to evaluate long-term radiographic and clinical outcomes of a consecutive series of patients diagnosed with isolated, displaced, closed talar neck or body fractures treated by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Secondly, the aim was to verify the influence of the location of talar fractures on the outcomes, the prognostic value of the Hawkins sign, whether operative delays promote avascular necrosis (AVN) and if the fractures require emergent surgical management.

METHODS

From January 2007 to December 2012, at our institution, 31 patients underwent ORIF through the use of screws. On the basis of Inokuchi criteria, the injuries were divided between neck and body fractures, which were classified according to Hawkins and Sneppen, respectively. The patients included were divided into two groups in relation to fracture location and complexity. Radiographic assessment focused on reduction quality, bone healing, the Hawkins sign and post-traumatic arthritis (PTA) development. For the clinical evaluation, clinical-functional scores (AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Score; MFS; FFI-17; SF-36) and VAS were determined, and statistical analysis was performed.

RESULTS

27 patients, 19 males and 8 females, mean age 38.3 years, were included with an average follow-up period of 83.2 months (range 49-119). There were 9 neck and 19 body fractures; their reduction was anatomical or nearly anatomical in 22 cases, and all reached radiographic consolidation after a mean period of 3.4 months (range 1.7-7). The Hawkins sign was observed in 9 cases, in which necrosis did not develop. With a 0-11 day surgical timing interval, more than 60% of the patients obtained good or fair results with different scores, while 18 (66.7%) were completely satisfied (VAS: 9-10). The early complications included malunions (21.4%) and wound problems (25%); the late complications involved AVN (25%) and PTA (78.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a high rate of long-term complications, satisfactory clinical results were achieved. Talar fracture location did not influence the outcomes, the Hawkins sign was confirmed as a positive prognostic factor, and operation timing did not influence AVN development. Hence, these injuries do not require emergent surgical management by ORIF.

Talus fractures. Functional results for polytraumatized patients

Talar fractures are uncommon lesions (0.1-0.9%) and have a high rate of complications. One of the situations in which a fracture of the talus can occur is in the context of polytrauma which may further compromise the functional prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the functional results in patients with talar fractures whether or not they occurred in the context of polytrauma. Observational study on a retrospective cohort of 24 patients operated in our centre (2008-2016). They were grouped according to whether they were polytraumatized (ISS>16) or not (ISS≤16). Review of sociodemographic, radiographic, functional variables (VAS pain scale and FADI -Foot and Ankle Disability Index-) and the onset of complications such as arthrosis, arthrodesis or avascular necrosis. Review of 25 talar fractures in 24 patients with a mean age of 38 years (19-75) and a mean follow-up of 4.2 years (0.5-9). According to the ISS, 44% of patients (11) were polytraumatized and 56% (14) were not. The average score according to the FADI scale was 62 points for the polytraumatized patients and 76.9 for the non-polytraumatized patients. The pain according to the VAS scale was 5.8 points in the group of polytraumatized patients and 4.3 in the non-polytraumatized patient group. Regarding complications, 64% of the polytraumatized patients and 43% of the non-traumatized patients had a complication. 36% of the polytraumatized patients had clinical and radiological signs of subtalar arthrosis compared to 35% of the non-traumatized patients, of whom 27% underwent arthrodesis compared to 28% of the non-traumatized patients. 27% of the polytraumatized patients were diagnosed with avascular necrosis as opposed to 0% of the non-polytraumatized patients.

Current Concepts in Talar Neck Fracture Management

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

Talar neck fractures are a rare but potentially devastating injury, which require a comprehensive understanding of the unique osteology, vasculature, and surrounding anatomy to recognize pathology and treat correctly. The purpose of this article is to describe both classic and current literature to better understand the evolution of talar neck fracture management.

RECENT FINDINGS

Urgent reduction of displaced fractures and dislocations remains the standard of care to protect the soft tissue envelope and neurovascular structures. Delayed definitive fixation has proven to be safe. CT is the imaging modality of choice to fully identify the fracture pattern and associated injuries. Anatomic reduction and restoration of the peritalar articular surfaces are the pillars of talar neck fracture treatment. Dual incision approach with plate and screw fixation has become the modern surgical strategy of choice to accomplish these goals. Although complications such as osteonecrosis (ON) and posttraumatic arthritis (PTA) can still occur at high rates, treatment should be dictated by patient symptoms. Talar neck fractures pose treatment challenges with both initial injury and potential sequelae. Future research will determine whether modern treatment algorithms will decrease complication rate and improve patient outcome.

Extra-articular Medial Impression Fracture of the Talus: A Previously Undescribed Injury

BACKGROUND

Peripheral fractures of the talus are uncommon. Almost all the literature regarding talar fractures consists of central intra-articular fractures, whereas studies about peripheral talar fractures are lacking. The aim of this study is to increase awareness in diagnosing an unusual peripheral extra-articular medial impression fracture of the talus.

METHODS

This study includes a retrospective case series of patients with an extra-articular medial impression fracture of the talus. Patient characteristics, trauma mechanism, diagnostics, fracture characteristics, and treatment were reported.

RESULTS

Eight consecutive patients with an extra-articular medial impression fracture of the talus were identified. In 80%, the trauma mechanism was a supination or inversion injury of the ankle and foot. An X-ray was obtained in all patients; in 7 (88%) patients, a computed tomography scan was done, and an additional magnetic resonance imaging was done in 3 (38%) patients. In 4 patients (50%), the correct diagnosis was missed at first presentation. The delay between injury and diagnosis was 0 to 180 days (of 36 days on average).

CONCLUSION

This is the first case series to describe patients with a peripheral extra-articular medial impression fracture of the talus. Good clinical examination and judicious use of diagnostic imaging are a necessity to find the talar impression fractures in a timely manner, and treatment can be started immediately.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE

Level V.