Fractures of the calcaneus

Abstract

At the beginning of the last century open surgical reduction of calcaneal fractures was thought to be contraindicated.1 During the 1930s2 until the 1950s3either nonoperative treatment or late treatment with subtalar arthrodesis were advocated.3,4 With introduction of the Association for the Study of Internal Fixation (AO/ASIF) principles of internal fixation, the use of antibiotics, sufficient anesthesia, and fluoroscopy and computed tomography the results improved substantially.5,6 Today the benefit of open reduction and internal fixation is accepted. However, a calcaneal fracture is still a challenging type of fracture and success is related to the experience of the surgical team as to a well-defined protocol for the various types of calcaneal fractures. Moreover, the strategy has to consider the classification of the fracture site, the soft tissue, the general condition, and the compliance of the patient.