Considerations of a midline posterior approach to the ankle and subtalar joints

The standard incisional approaches for ankle and subtalar joint surgery include the medial, lateral, or anterior. However, in patients with a history of traumatic injuries or previous surgery, in which the soft tissues of the foot and ankle have been compromised, a direct midline posterior approach might be preferable. The approach offers unparalleled exposure, provides excellent frontal plane visualization, and reduces the risk of vascular compromise by preserving the surrounding angiosomes. We report on 2 separate cases in which a midline posterior approach to the ankle and subtalar joints was used successfully for fusion procedures of the tibiocalcaneal and subtalar joints.