Open Reduction With Calcaneal Locking Plate Fixation vs Percutaneous Cannulated Screws for the Treatment of Displaced Intra-Articular Calcaneal Fractures

Abstract

Background:-Minimally invasive surgery in treatment of DIACFs has become popular among the international orthopaedics community to overcome the soft tissue complications associated with the standard ORIF through extensile lateral approach. Objective:-The current study's objective was evaluation of the functional and radiographic outcomes of closed reduction and percutaneous cannulated screws fixation of DIACFs compared with the standard ORIF by calcaneal locked plate using an extensile lateral approach. Patients and methods:-35 patients with unilateral DIACFs from June 2019 to May 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The Percutaneous cannulated screws group included 17 patients, and the ORIF group included 18 patients. Radiographic assessment included calcaneal height, length, and width, Böhler's angle, angle of Gissane, and posterior facet inclination angle. Clinical assessment by the AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and the visual analog pain score was done. Results:-No appreciable differences were noticed in the pre-operative and post-operative radiographic parameters measurements, and the final AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scores between the two groups. The pain scores were lowered significantly in the percutaneous cannulated screws group, (P = 0.0364). Conclusion:-Percutaneous cannulated screws had achieved radiographic and functional outcomes comparable to ORIF in management of DIACFs with lower complication rates.