Forefoot trauma

Abstract

Injuries of the forefoot are some of the most common injuries encountered in medicine. Due to the anatomy of the foot, such injuries affect bones as well as ligaments. The principal problem is that these injuries are identified late because they can often occur in combination with several other injuries in patients who experience polytrauma. Furthermore, they are accompanied by severe soft tissue damage. The extent of soft tissue damage is very significant in terms of prognosis. A severe foot injury accompanied by extensive soft tissue damage should be treated immediately. In particular, the surgeon should take an acute compartment syndrome of the foot into account. These injuries are urgent emergencies for the trauma surgeon because they rapidly lead to circulatory disorders, compartment syndrome, and/or severe skin necrosis. Injuries in the mid- and forefoot are usually part of multiple trauma, including injury to body cavities, the pelvis, and the spine. Notwithstanding this fact, the foot must be treated as early as possible in order to prevent subsequent damage which may be accompanied by significant impairment and deformities of the foot. Due to the complex anatomy of the foot and the severity of combined injuries, we currently lack a standardized treatment concept for this condition.