Application of a self-made distraction reductor in percutaneous minimally invasive treatment of calcaneal fractures / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To evaluate our self-made distraction reductor used in the percutaneous minimally invasive treatment of calcaneal fractures.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the 32 patients (37 feet) who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital to Chongqing Medical University from January 2017 to December 2019 for calcaneal fractures. They were 26 males and 6 females, aged from 20 to 67 years (average, 46.5 years). The height and length of the calcaneus were restored by our self-made tri-plane distraction reductor in all patients; the displaced fracture blocks were reset in a minimally invasive manner in patients with intra-articular fracture; final fixation was performed with a minimally invasive plate and screws. Time for reductor installation, operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded; complications, fracture union and reduction were observed; height, length and width of the calcaneus, ankle-hindfoot scores of American Society of Foot and Ankle Surgery (AOFAS), Maryland scores, and visual analogue scale (VAS) were recorded at the last follow-up; B?hler and Gissane angles were compared between pre- and post-operation.Results:All patients were followed up for 12 to 36 months (average, 17.2 months). Time for reductor installation averaged 5.0 min (from 3 to 8 min), operation time 91.5 min(from 70 to 110 min), and intraoperative blood loss 25.2 mL (15 to 50 mL). Superficial infection of traction track occurred in one patient and sural nerve injury in one patient. All fractures united without any reduction loss by the last follow-up. On average, the last follow-up observed a calcaneal height of 39.3 mm, a calcaneal length of 70.6 mm, a calcaneal width of 32.7 mm, an AOFAS score of 87.8, a Maryland score of 86.7 and a VAS score of 2.2. The calcaneal B?hler angle was recovered significantly from 3.7°±13.7° preoperatively to 25.8°±6.4° at the last follow-up, and the calcaneal Gissane angle from 112.2°±21.3° preoperatively to 125.8°±5.7° at the last follow-up ( P< 0.05). Conclusion:In percutaneous minimally invasive treatment of calcaneal fractures, application of our self-made tri-plane distraction reductor can lead to fine clinical efficacy.