The Use of Low-Profile Angular-Stability Plates in a “Nutcracker” Tarsal Navicular Fracture Combined with a Cuboid Fracture: ORIF Experience

Abstract

Background: Clear recommendations about the optimal treatment of traumatic tarsal navicular fractures are still very debated in the literature, and this is due to several factors: navicular fractures are rare and often misdiagnosed injuries, they are frequently associated with other fractures or a dislocation of the midfoot, and the current knowledge is based on few papers mainly considering a limited number of cases and dealing with different therapeutic approaches. The treatment of navicular body fractures is controversial and burdened by a high incidence of complications; in particular, Sangeorzan type III comminuted fractures represent a real challenge for the orthopedic surgeon. An accurate preoperative planning, a scrupulous surgical technique aimed at restoring volume and bony anatomy, and the use of low-profile angular-stability plates can lead to optimal clinical and functional results, decreasing the chances of arthritic evolution of mid-foot joints.

Robot-assisted percutaneous screw fixation in the treatment of navicular fracture

“…Although tarsal navicular fractures have a high healing rate, they are prone to a range of complications that can affect functional prognosis ( 8 , 14 , 19 ). The common complications include traumatic arthritis, joint stiffness, postoperative residual pain, and ischemic osteonecrosis, among which traumatic arthritis is the most common complication after navicular fracture ( 3 , 9 , 20 ). To eliminate heterogeneity, our study excluded patients with comminuted navicular body fractures who had to be considered for talocalcaneal fusion.…”