Surgical Treatment of Displaced Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures: Minimum of 2-year Follow-up

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the overall clinical features and postoperative functional results of the intra-articular calcaneal fractures at more than 2 years follow-up, and also to compare the results at postoperative 1 year with the results at more than 2-year follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is based on 39 intra-articular calcaneal fractures (34 patients) that underwent surgical treatment from March 1997 to May 2002 with at least 2 years follow-up. The overall postoperative results were evaluated with Creighton-Nebraska functional scale. The comparison of results at postoperative 1 year was also performed with results at more than 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: By Sanders classifications, there were 13 type II fractures (33.3%), 20 type III (51.3%), and 6 type IV fractures (15.4%). Average follow-up period was 35 months (range: 24~87 months) and at final follow-up of more than 2 years, Creighton-Nebraska score was average 76.0 (range: 30~100) which significantly improved from postoperative 1-year results of 67.1 (range: 22~95) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinical outcome at more than 2 years after surgical treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fractures was quite promising, which significantly improved compared to 1-year results. Therefore, we concluded that functional results of calcaneal fractures should be evaluated at least 2 years after the treatment.