Use of talectomy in modern foot and ankle surgery

Talectomy is a procedure that is undertaken rarely in modern orthopedic surgery; however, it has been performed for many years. Talectomy has been used most commonly in pediatric orthopedics with some degree of success in severe clubfoot deformity, arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, myelomeningocele, tuberculosis, and tumors. In adults, talectomy has been used in salvage procedures that involve nonunion of ankle fusions, failed total ankle arthroplasty, inflammatory arthropathy, neuroarthropathy, failed talar prostheses, failed pantalar fusions, adult neglected clubfoot, posttraumatic avascular necrosis talus, and deformities that are due to sciatic nerve palsy and compartment syndrome. This article consider what place talectomy has in modern adult foot and ankle surgery.