Ankle arthroplasty by excision of the talar body: subtotal talectomy

We carried out the ankle arthroplasty by excision of the talar body (subtotal talectomy) on 10 ankles of nine patients with talar body tumor, paralytic talipes equinovarus, talipes varus due to spinal injury, or comminuted fracture of the talar body. Talar body excision was initiated by lateral incision and subsequent osteotomy of the fibula. The fibula was everted, leaving the lateral ligament (calcaneofibular ligament) intact. After the talus was exposed, the talar body was excised, leaving about 1.5 cm of head unresected. Subsequently, the fibula was shortened slightly, and the tibia was pulled down to the level of the calcaneus to form a joint, instead of arthrodesis being performed. After surgery, the joint formed by the tibia and calcaneus was mobile in seven of the 10 feet and immobile (arthrodesis) in the remaining three feet. The average follow-up period was 6 years. Although postoperative x-ray revealed slight osteoarthritic changes of Chopart's joint and the tibiocalcaneal joint, none of the patients showed ankle pain that impaired activities of daily living. Subtotal talectomy allows correction of talipes equinus without Achilles tendon lengthening.