[Surgical treatment of diabetic osteoarthropathy with severe dislocation]

A case with diabetic osteoarthropathy, destruction of the talus and medial dislocation of the ankle joint is presented. After cleaning up a purulent skin process above the lateral malleolus, caused by the malposition, a calcaneocrural arthrodesis was performed, with a fixateur externe. In the authors' opinion therapy should aim to preserve the limb; this is to be preferred to amputation even in cases with very severe deformities. An arthrodesis with correction of the malposition is recommended as the method of choice.