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Review
. 2020 Feb 13;5(1):2473011419900766.
doi: 10.1177/2473011419900766. eCollection 2020 Jan.

Fractures of the Talus: Current Concepts

Andrew M Schwartz  1 , William O Runge  1 , Andrew R Hsu  2 , Jason T Bariteau  1
Affiliations
Review

Fractures of the Talus: Current Concepts

Andrew M Schwartz et al. Foot Ankle Orthop. .

Abstract

Talus fractures continue to represent a challenging and commonly encountered group of injuries. Its near-complete articular cartilage surface, and its role in force transmission between the leg and foot, makes successful treatment of such injuries a mandatory prerequisite to regained function. Familiarity with the complex bony, vascular, and neurologic anatomy is crucial for understanding diagnostic findings, treatment indications, and surgical techniques to maximize the likelihood of anatomic bony union. This review details the structure and function of the talus, a proper diagnostic workup, the treatment algorithm, and post-treatment course in the management of talus fractures.

Level of evidence: Level V, expert opinion.

Keywords: AVN; avascular necrosis; hindfoot trauma; post-traumatic arthritis; talus fractures.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. ICMJE forms for all authors are available online.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Blood supply to the talus. (Source: Core Knowledge in Orthopaedics: Foot & Ankle, Elsevier.)
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Osteochondral fracture noted on (A) axial and (B) sagittal magnetic resonance images. The osteochondral lesion is marked with an asterisk.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Fixation of talar neck fracture with lateral mini-fragment plating and medial countersunk screws on (A) oblique radiograph and (B) lateral radiograph of the foot.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Post-traumatic subtalar and tibiotalar arthrosis after remote nonoperatively treated talus fracture on (A) lateral radiograph and (B) anteroposterior radiograph of the ankle.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Treatment of post-traumatic arthrosis with tibiotalocalcaneal intramedullary nail on (A) lateral radiograph and (B) anteroposterior radiograph of the ankle.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Post-traumatic avascular necrosis of the talar dome after talar neck fracture, as indicated by focal area of sclerosis. The asterisk indicates the region of avascular necrosis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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