Isolated Transcalcaneal Talonavicular Dislocation: A Severe Injury Related to a Low-energy Mechanism

• Published in: The Journal of foot and ankle surgery Vol. 52; no. 3; pp. 367 - 369
• Main Authors: Ventham, Nicholas T., MRCS (Eng), MBBS, Phadnis, Joideep, MRCS (Eng), Sujenthiran, Arunan, MRCS (Eng), Trompeter, Alex J., MBBS, BSc, FRCS (Tr+Orth), Ramesh, Palanisamy, FRCS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2013
• Subjects: Aged; elderly; external fixation; Female; Foot Joints - diagnostic imaging; Foot Joints - injuries; Foot Joints - surgery; fracture; Fracture Fixation; Humans; Joint Dislocations - diagnostic imaging; Joint Dislocations - surgery; Orthopedics; osteoporosis; Radiography; surgery; talus; trauma; trauma; 4; elderly; external fixation; osteoporosis; talus; fracture; surgery
• ISSN: 1067-2516; 1542-2224
• DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2012.12.015

Abstract Transcalcaneal talonavicular dislocation is a rare injury, with very few reported cases. Of these, most have been the result of high-energy mechanisms such as road traffic collisions or falls from a height. The management of this injury is challenging, and treatment is fraught with a high rate of disability, infection, and amputation. We describe the successful management of the first reported case of a low-energy transcalcaneal talonavicular dislocation in a 71-year-old female. Combined external and internal fixation was used to reduce and maintain the injury, with a resultant good functional and complication-free outcome at 1 year after the injury. Our experience highlights the prevalence of these devastating injuries caused by relatively benign mechanisms in an increasingly older population with osteoporotic bone. It also indicates that operative stabilization of a low-energy injury can be more successful than that with the traditional high-velocity trauma.