Stress analysis of three-dimensional finite element model of malunion calcaneus during gait

Objective: To analyze the stress distribution of calcaneus with posterior articular facet compressed after fracture and talus during gait. Methods: A wedge under the posterior articular was transected from a normal finite element model of calcaneus and talus to simulate malformation of compression of the posterior facet after fracture of calcaneus. The model was used to simulate for three subphases of the stance during the gait(heel strike, midstance, push off) and calculate the finite element. The results were compared with normal situation. Results: The stress distribution within the bone in situation of malformation was obtained and regions of elevated stresses for three subphases were located. The results were significantly different from that of normal situation. Conclusion: The simulation of calcaneus and talus in malformation has important clinic implication and can provide an insight into the factors contributing to many clinic pathogenic changes after fracture of calcaneus.

Clinical observation of biomimetic mineralized collagen artificial bone putty for bone reconstruction of calcaneus fracture

This study investigated clinical outcomes of biomimetic mineralized collagen artificial bone putty for bone reconstruction in the treatment of calcaneus fracture.Sixty cases of calcaneal fractures surgically treated with open reduction and internal fixation in our hospital from June 2014–2015 were chosen and randomly divided into two groups,including 30 cases treated with biomimetic mineralized collagen artificial bone putty as treatment group,and 30 cases treated with autogenous ilia as control group.The average follow-up time was 17.263.0 months.The results showed that the surgery duration and postoperative drainage volume of treatment group were significantly lower than control group;there were no statistically significant differences in the fracture healing time,American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scores at 3 and 12 months after surgery,Bo¨hler’s angle,Gissane’s angle and height of calcaneus between the two groups.There were no significant differences in wound complication and reject reaction between the two groups,while significant difference in donor site complication.As a conclusion,the implantation of biomimetic mineralized collagen artificial bone putty in the open reduction of calcaneal fracture resulted in reliable effect and less complications,which is suitable for clinical applications in the treatment of bone defect in calcaneal fractures.

Application of medial column classification in treatment of intraarticular calcaneal fractures

BACKGROUND There are many types of treatments for calcaneal fractures,including conservative treatment,conventional surgical treatment,and minimally invasive surgery.The choice of specific treatment options is still controversial.Open reduction and internal fixation are currently the most commonly used surgical procedures in the clinic.A good fracture reduction effect can be achieved by using the lateral extension incision of the calcaneus;however,many studies have reported a high incidence of postoperative incision complications.Although there are many methods for the classification of intra-articular calcaneal fractures,it is generally believed that the computed tomography(CT)classification proposed by Sanders has high application value in the selection of treatment methods and evaluation of prognosis of calcaneal fractures.However,this method has no clear guiding significance for the choice of surgical incision and surgical plan.AIM To explore the application and clinical efficacy of medial column classification in the treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fractures.METHODS From July 2017 to July 2018,91 patients,including 60 males and 31 females aged 27 to 60 years,were enrolled.All participants had closed intra-articular calcaneal fracture,and their surgical options were selected under the guidance of medial column classification.The patients'fractures were classified according to the Sanders classification:Type II,35 cases;Type III,33 cases;and Type IV,23 cases.Among them,53 patients had medial column displacement(shortened varus)and underwent open reduction and internal fixation with L-lateral incision of the calcaneus;38 patients had no displacement of the medial column and underwent open reduction and internal fixation with tarsal sinus incision.The calcaneus Bohler angle,Gissane angle,length,width,height,and step thickness of the articular surface were evaluated by X-ray and three-dimensional CT before and after surgery and at the last follow-up.Foot function recovery was assessed by the Maryland foot scoring criteria.RESULTS All patients were followed for 5 to 14 mo,with an average of 10.5±2.9 mo.The fractures of all patients healed,and the healing time was 10 to 19 wk,with an average of 10.8±1.5 wk.One patient developed wound infection 1 wk after surgery and was actively debrided and implanted with antibiotic calcium sulfate to control the infection.The patient's fracture healed 5 mo after surgery.One patient developed a sural nerve injury,and the symptoms disappeared 3 mo after surgery.The patients were assessed according to the Maryland foot scoring system:Excellent in 77 cases,good in 10,and fair in 4.The excellent and good rate was 95.6%.CONCLUSION Medial column classification can effectively guide the surgical selection for intraarticular fractures of the calcaneus.

Subtalar dislocation without associated fractures: Case report and review of literature

Isolated subtalar dislocations are unusual injuries due to the inherent instability of the talus. Subtalar dislocations are frequently associated with fractures of the malleoli, the talus, the calcaneus or the fifth metatarsal. Four types of subtalar dislocation have been described according to the direction of the foot in relation to the talus: medial, lateral posterior and anterior. It has been shown that some of these dislocations may spontaneously reduce. A rare case of a 36-year-old male patient who sustained a closed medial subtalar dislocation without any associated fractures of the ankle is reported. The patient suffered a pure closed medial subtalar dislocation that is hardly reported in the literature. Six months after injury the patient did not report any pain, had a satisfactory range of motion, and no signs of residual instability or early posttraumatic osteoarthritis. The traumatic mechanism, the treatment options, and the importance of a stable and prompt closed reduction and early mobilization are discussed.

The Use of Calcaneal Anatomic Plate in Arthroscopically-assisted Open Reduction and Internal Fixation of Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures

To discuss and evaluate the method and effect of using calcaneal anatomic plate in treatment of intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus with assistant of arthroscope, 86 intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus in 78 patients were reduced by open reduction, and rigid fixation was made with calcaneal anatomic plate under assistant of arthroscope. The average follow-up duration was 18 months （range 12-30 months）. The effect of treatment was evaluated according to AOFAS and X-ray before and after operation. The results showed that 86 patients have obtained satisfactory reduction according to X-ray, and there was significant difference before and after operation （P〈0. 01）, the total excellent and fine rate was 91.86%. Treating intra-articular fractures of the calcaneus with calcaneal anatomic plate under arthroscope may provide more chance to achieve anatomical reconstruction, which can lead to satisfied recovery of function and few complication.

Percutaneous reduction combined with bone graft in treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures

Objective： To introduce the experience and key points of percutaneous reduction combined with bone graft to treat calcaneal fractures. Methods： Percutaneous reduction and internal fixation combined with bone graft was performed from April 2004 to April 2006 on 15 cases （16 sides） with intra-articular calcaneal fractures including 13 males （14 feet） and 2 females （2 feet） ,with average age of 36. 6 years （24-61 years）. All patients underwent radiography including lateral and axial views for calcaneus, oblique view for foot and three-dimensional CT imaging reconstruction. According to Sanders classification, there were 12 feet of type Ⅱ （3 type Ⅱa, 3 type Ⅱb and 8 type Ⅱc） and 2 feet of type Illac. The length of calcaneus was recovered through traction by Steinmann pin which passed through calcaneal tubercle perpendicularly and the posterior facet was elevated until reduction by a curve scissors through an 0.5 cm incision along the primary fracture line of lateral calcaneus. The calcaneus was fixed with different cannulated cancellous screws according to the type of fractures. Then bone graft was injected to fill the defect of calcaneus through lateral incision. Results： All patients were followed up for an average of 18.4 months （ranged, 12 to 34 months）. No complication such as wound infection, screw breakage and calcaneum varus was found postoperatively. The average time for bone healing was 10 weeks. The results were excellent in 12 cases, good in 4 cases according to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society （AOFAS） hindfoot score. The rate of excellent and good clinical results was 100%. The mean AOFAS hindfoot score in tongue type group （86.5±4.4） was better than in joint depression type group （81.2±1.7, P〈0.05）. Radiography showed basic restoration of Bohler＇s angle, Gissane＇s angle and calcaneal shape. Conclusion： The combination of percutaneous reduction and injectable bone graft is suitable for surgical treatment of Sanders Ⅱ and Ⅲ type calcaneal fractures, with advantages of simple operation, fewer complications and good clinical results.

Footfall patterns of a runner with an Achilles tendon rupture

Purpose: This study aims to compare the load and the length of previously ruptured and healthy Achilles tendon(AT) of a recreational runner who used different footfall patterns on each limb during running.Methods: A 41-year-old recreational athlete with a ruptured AT participated in this report. Two force plates and a high-speed motion capture system were used to collect ground reaction force and kinematic data in shod and barefoot running conditions. AT length was measured using ultrasonography and an infrared camera system. AT force was estimated as the active plantar flexion moment divided by AT moment arm during stance phase.Results: The participant used a rearfoot pattern on the affected limb and a forefoot/midfoot pattern on the unaffected limb during shod running,and a forefoot/midfoot pattern during barefoot running. There was no difference between the length of the affected and the unaffected AT. During shod running, the maximal AT force and loading rate were lower in the affected AT versus the unaffected AT. During barefoot running, the affected maximal AT force and loading rate were greater than the unaffected AT.Conclusion: Footfall patterns can be an adaptation to reduce the loading on a previously injured AT. It appears that runners may consider using a rearfoot footfall pattern during running to reduce the stress on the AT.

Os calcis lipoma: To graft or not to graft?——A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND Intraosseous lipoma is a rare benign lesion, commonly affecting the os calcis. Its pathogenesis and natural history are not fully understood, and its management remains controversial.CASE SUMMARY A 56-year-old male complaining of heel pain was diagnosed with an os calcis lipoma. The lesion was treated with curettage and it was filled with impacted allograft and demineralized bone matrix. Histological examination confirmed the above diagnosis. Six months postoperatively, the patient returned to recreational long-distance running. Repeated computed tomography scanning, up to five years postoperatively, showed almost complete resorption of the graft over time.CONCLUSION The treatment of an os calcis lipoma should be individualized, depending on the symptoms, the location and size of the lesion. Surgeons, electing to proceed with bone grafting, should consider the probability of bone graft resorption.

Heel pain caused by os subcalcis:A case report

BACKGROUND The accessory bones are common bone variations around the feet and ankles,which usually originate from nonunion of the secondary ossification center adjacent to the main bone mass,and most of them remain asymptomatic.Os subcalcis is an accessory bone at the plantar aspect of the calcaneus,which is located just posterior to the insertion of the plantar fascia.Focal bone formation at the calcaneal plantar pole with heel pain has rarely been reported.CASE SUMMARY A 55-year-old man presented to our clinic with left plantar heel pain and a progressive swelling for 8 years.X-ray,computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed a large os subcalcison the plantar side of the calcaneus,located at the insertion of the plantar fascia.He underwent surgical excision of the lesion.Microscopically the bony trabeculae were intermingled with fat and covered with cartilage.CONCLUSION This is a rare case with accessory os subcalcis leading to heel pain.It highlights the awareness of os subcalcis and helps avoid future misdiagnosis of heel pain.

Stress fractures in uncommon location:Six case reports and review of the literature

BACKGROUND Individuals’interest in sports activities has been increasing,contributing to more stress fracture occurrences in uncommon locations on the skeleton.In this study,several cases of stress fractures in atypical locations are presented,and the possibility of combining diagnostic methods to make accurate and quick diagnoses is explored.Additionally,different causes of stress fractures,as well as various modalities of treatment,are highlighted.Other potential factors of stress fractures were identified by a literature review.CASE SUMMARY Six cases of stress fractures in the calcaneus,intermediate cuneiform bone,sacrum,tibia(bilateral),navicular bone and femoral neck are presented,with different types of diagnostic imaging and treatments.All of the cases were associated with an aspect of mobility because all of the patients were physically active in various sport disciplines.CONCLUSION The type of therapeutic procedure selected should depend on the specific clinical case,i.e.,the patient’s condition and level of physical activity.

Surgical Treatment of Calcaneal Comminuted Intrarticular Fractures: Long-Term Follow-Up

There is a controversy whether the comminuted calcaneal fractures should benefit more from conservative or from surgical treatment. Aiming to contribute to this unsolved clinical question we reviewed the long-term outcome (up to 96 months) of in 44 patients (mean age 35 years) with 47 calcaneal fractures who were treated surgically. In these patients open reduction and internal fixation were performed using a calcaneal reconstruction plate. The functional outcome was measured according to the Rowe Score and the level of pain by Visual Analog Scale. The objective outcome was estimated by the current radiographs. The clinical results were good to excellent in 69% of patients. Poor outcome observed in one patient who developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in his foot. The radiographic evaluation showed satisfactory reconstruction (according to the Boehler angle measurements) in 35 of operated calcanei. These results indicate on the satisfactory outcome of surgical treatment in the majority of the patients who were diagnosed with comminuted fracture of calcaneus.

Outcome of open reduction and internal fixation of intraarticular calcaneal fracture fixed with locking cal- caneal plate

Objective：Debate continues regarding the management of calcaneal fractures,between open reduction and internal fixation and closed treatment.Hence we aim at evaluating the radiological and functional outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation in displaced joint depression type of calcaneal fractures fixed with locking calcaneal plate.Methods：In this series,28 patients （26 unilateral and 2 bilateral） with joint depression type of calcaneal fractures as per Essex-Lopresti classification system were operated on with locking calcaneal plate within 3 weeks of injury.Patients were evaluated in terms of associated injuries and X-rays of anteroposterior,lateral and axial views of the calcaneum.CT scan was done to assess the amount ofcomminution and articular depression.Patients were followed up clinically and radiologically at least for 1 year.Radiological assessment was done by Bohler＇s angle and Gissane＇s angle along with measurement ofcalcaneal height and width.Functional outcome was assessed using the American Orthopaedics Foot and Ankle Society （AOFAS） scale.Results：At average follow-up of 14.5 months,average AOFAS score was 86.3 （range 66 to 97）,with 86% having excellent to good results and 2 （7.7%） and 1 （3.7%） having fair and poor results respectively.All patients had stable ankle joint with all having dorsiflexion and plantar flexion more than 30°.Average subtalar range of motion was 17°.The mean Bohler＇s angle,mean Gissane＇s angle,calcaneal height and width were 25.47°,121.3°,4.32 cm and 3.81cm respectively at final follow-up.Three patients had flap necrosis at incision site and one had superficial and deep infection.Subtalar arthritis was seen in 5 patients,whereas sural nerve hypoaesthesia in 1 patient.None of the patients had compartment syndrome,heel pad problems,peroneal tendinitis,reflex sympathetic dystropy or implant failure.Conclusion：Open reduction and internal fixation with locking calcaneal plate gives sound functional outcome,i.e.restoring anatomically reconstruction of height,width,Bohler＇s and Gissiane＇s angles of the calcaneum,and allowing early mobilization.

Minimally invasive plate internal fixation for calcaneal fractures

Objective： To assess the clinical efficacy of minimally invasive plate internal fixation for the treatment of calcaneal fractures. Methods： Manual reduction, rectification of deformity, and cold compress with traditional Chinese medicine were used preoperatively to relieve swelling and pain. A small incision was made to expose the articular facet and to perform anatomic reduction and plate fixation. Self-made traditional Chinese pharmaceutics were applied postoperatively on the surface of the wound to accelerate bony union. Results： All the 40 patients were followed up for at least 1 year postoperatively. According to the Maryland scoring system, the excellent and good rate was 87.5%. Conclusion： Minimally invasive plate internal fixation has the advantages of relatively mild injury, reliable fixation, good recovery, and rare complications in the treatment of intraarticular fractures.

Central tendon splitting combined with SutureBridge double-row technique as a surgical treatment for insertional Achilles tendinopathy

Background Surgical treatment of insertional Achilles tendinopathy should be considered when a variety of conservative measures fail. To achieve a satisfactory outcome, thorough debridement of the Achilles tendon is critical, besides excision of the bursitis and the calcaneal exostosis. Central tendon-splitting provides straightforward access to the calcified or degenerative tissue within the Achilles tendon. For Achilles tendon reconstruction if detachment is present, several surgical techniques have been reported. Controversy surrounds the technique can provide maximum security for reattachment of the Achilles tendon. The SutureBrid^e double-row construct, initially used in rotator cuff repair, is Drobablv a aood choice.

Ilizarov reconstruction of chronic bilateral calcaneovalgus deform让ies

Calcaneovalgus foot deformities are present in up to 35% of patients with lumbar spina bifida. Resultant heel weight bearing causes complications include those associated w让h pressure ulcers. Early surgical reconstruction is advocated to prevent deformity progression and rigidity. Several surgical techniques in paediatric populations have been described, but there remains a paucity of literature regarding reconstruction of chronic calcaneovalgus feet in adults. This case report describes our experience using the Ilizarov technique in the reconstruction of an adult presenting with chro nic calcaneovalgus feet. This is a 34-year-old lady with myelomeningocoele spina bifida of lumbar level 5 who presented with a history of multiple admissions for cellulitis and infections of bilateral heel pressure sores. Rigid calcaneovalgus deformities of both feet (45° on the right, 40° on the left) were noted on clinical examination and radiological investigations. Reconstruction with an Ilizarov frame allowed for gradual correction of both soft tissue and bone, correcting heel weight bearing ambulation, with the aim of preventing further complications from infected heel ulcers. While the correction of bony deformities is crucial, management of chronically contracted soft tissue must not be overlooked. An Ilizarov frame requires both an experienced surgeon and a motivated patient, but it allows for accurate reconstruction of bony deferm让ies, while allowing management of surrounding chronic soft tissue contractures with good functional outcome.