Evaluation of tarsal navicular stress fracture fixation using intraoperative O-arm computed tomography

Stress fractures of the tarsal navicular are high-risk injuries that can result in displacement, avascular necrosis, malunion, and nonunion. Delayed diagnosis and improper treatment can lead to long-term functional impairments and poor clinical outcomes. Increased shear stress and decreased vascularity in the central third of the navicular can complicate bony healing with often unpredictable return times to activity using conservative management in a non-weight-bearing cast. There recently has been increasing debate regarding the effectiveness of treatment options with a trend toward surgical management to anatomically reduce and stabilize navicular stress fractures in athletes. However, anatomic reduction and fixation of the navicular can be difficult despite direct visualization and intraoperative fluoroscopy. We report a case of a chronic navicular stress fracture in a high-level teenage athlete treated with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) and calcaneus autograft using intraoperative computed tomography (CT) (O-arm®, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) for real-time evaluation of fracture reduction and fixation. Intraoperative CT was fast, reliable, and allowed for confirmation of guide wire orientation, alignment, and length across the fracture site. Anatomic fixation of navicular stress fractures can be challenging, and it is important for surgeons to be aware of the potential advantages of using intraoperative CT when treating these injuries.

Therapeutic, Level IV: Case Report.