Calcaneus Tuberosity Avulsion Fracture - A Surgical Emergency? Modified Corticocancellous Screw Fixation Technique: A
Sanket Tanpure1, Jay Date1, Chandrasen Chaughule1
1Department of Orthopaedics, Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil Medical College, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India.
Introduction:
Avulsion tuberosity fracture of the calcaneus is relatively unusual and occurs more frequently in elderly osteoporotic patients. Direct trauma to the heel is a rare cause in young individuals. Failure to perform early open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) potentially leads to soft-tissue complications due to pressure necrosis of the overlying skin.
Case Report:
A 29-year-old male patient experienced left heel pain with swelling after the assault as he was hit by an iron rod 8 days prior. Radiographs revealed a Beavis Type 2 calcaneal avulsion fracture. An open reduction with two corticocancellous (CC) screw fixation was intended for the fracture.
Conclusion:
The avulsed bone fragment was small causing difficulty in reduction. The result of closed reduction in such a scenario is not promising and usually requires ORIF. We performed a modified surgical procedure of CC screw fixation in which one screw was passed perpendicular to the fracture plane for reduction of the fracture and another screw was passed obliquely to nullify Achilles forces. We believe that this technique of fracture management improves patient outcome and early mobilization.
