Treatment outcome of major fractures of the talus

Twenty-six patients with major fractures of the talus were studied to assess the long-term outcome. The patients were admitted to a university teaching hospital and major trauma center from 1983 to 1991. The study excluded isolated fractures of the talar dome and posterior tubercle. Fifteen patients were treated using internal fixation and 11 patients were treated using nonsurgical methods. Avascular necrosis was detected in only four of the 26 patients. Subtalar osteoarthritis was a significant problem in 61%. Seven of these patients have come to secondary fusion procedures, with another three contemplating fusion procedures at the time of review. Only one patient developed significant avascular necrosis requiring a fusion procedure. Only three of 26 patients had not returned to work at a mean 6 years after their injury. Eleven of the 26 (42%) had not returned to their premorbid activity level. The majority of these patients (25/26) had sustained multiple injuries, which compromised the functional recovery from the talar injury. Early accurate diagnosis and anatomical reduction gave the best results. The low incidence of avascular necrosis in this study has been attributed to early anatomical stabilization of the fracture. We believe an early CT scan can more accurately assess the severity of the talar fracture and offers the best information for an appropriate treatment plan.