Surgical Management of Complex Lower-Extremity Trauma With a Long Hindfoot Fusion Nail: A Case Report

• Published in: Foot and ankle specialist Vol. 9; no. 4; p. 354
• Main Authors: Jain, Nickul S, Lopez, Gregory D, Bederman, S Samuel, Wirth, Garrett A, Scolaro, John A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Accidents, Traffic; Anti-Bacterial Agents - administration & dosage; Arthrodesis - instrumentation; Arthrodesis - methods; Bone Cements; Bone Nails; Calcaneus - surgery; Femur - transplantation; Fracture Fixation, Internal - instrumentation; Fracture Fixation, Internal - methods; Fractures, Open - surgery; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Motorcycles; Salvage Therapy - methods; Tarsal Joints - surgery; Tibial Fractures - surgery; limb salvage; tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis; extruded talus
• ISSN: 1938-7636
• DOI: 10.1177/1938640015609982

High-energy injuries can result in complete or partial loss of the talus. Ipsilateral fractures to the lower limb increase the complexity of surgical management, and treatment is guided by previous case reports of similar injuries. A case of complex lower-extremity trauma with extruded and missing talar body and ipsilateral type IIIB open tibia fracture is presented. Surgical limb reconstruction and salvage was performed successfully with a single orthopaedic implant in a manner not described previously in the literature. The purpose of this case report is to present the novel use of a single orthopaedic implant for treatment of a complex, open traumatic injury. Previous case reports in the literature have described the management of complete or partial talar loss. We describe the novel use of a long hindfoot fusion nail and staged bone grafting to achieve tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis for the treatment of complex lower-extremity trauma. Therapeutic, Level IV: Case study.