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Displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures: is there a consensus on treatment in Germany?

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Abstract

Introduction

Open reduction in displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures entails a high rate of wound healing deficits and infections as well as an uncertain outcome, which leads to remaining ambiguity in treatment preferences.

Methods

Between January and July 2011, we emailed 575 German chairpersons of trauma and/or orthopaedic departments, asking them to complete a 31–question web-based survey regarding three broad domains: fracture classification, surgical treatment algorithms and risk factors for wound healing deficits.

Results

The response rate was 47 %. With an incidence of 77 %, open reduction via an extended lateral approach and plate fixation was the main treatment option for displaced intra-articular fractures of the joint-depression-type (Sanders II or III). Percutaneous techniques were only preferred in individual cases, with mainly precarious wound situations (59 %) as well as in patients with a reduced general health condition (ASA 3 and 4; 41 %). The re-operation rate due to infections and wound healing deficits after an extended lateral approach was reported with a percentage of 0-5 % by 88 % of the respondents. Participants stated that especially a poor microcirculation of the foot, disregard of soft tissue conserving techniques, overall condition of the patient, smoking, long time-to-surgery and operation time are the main reasons for wound healing deficits.

Conclusion

Given the extended lateral approach as the preferred treatment option, we found minimally invasive techniques and primary arthrodesis of the lower ankle joint play a minor role in treating intra-articular calcaneal fractures in Germany. Ninety percent of our respondents stated less than 5 % of patients required re-operations due to infections and wound healing deficits.

Level of Evidence Level V, expert opinion.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Michael Pastor for his creative and constructive ideas and especially Torsten Mueller for his support. The authors would also like to thank all the participants of this study. Without all of them this work would not have been possible.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, University of Aachen Medical Center, RWTH Aachen University, 30 Pauwelsstreet, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    Tatjana Pastor, Gertraud Gradl, Bergita Ganse, Klemens Horst, Hagen Andruszkow, Frank Hildebrand, Hans-Christoph Pape & Matthias Knobe

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, St. Vincenz and Elisabeth Hospital Mainz, Mainz, Germany

    Kajetan Klos

Authors
  1. Tatjana Pastor
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  2. Gertraud Gradl
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  9. Matthias Knobe
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Correspondence to Matthias Knobe.

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Each author certifies that his or her institution approved the human protocol for this investigation, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent for participation in the study was obtained.

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Pastor, T., Gradl, G., Klos, K. et al. Displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures: is there a consensus on treatment in Germany?. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 40, 2181–2190 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-016-3134-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-016-3134-2

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