[Analysis of clinical efficacy of absorbable rods combined with hollow compression screws in the treatment of comminuted fractures of talar body].

OBJECTIVE

To explore clinical efficacy of absorbable rods combined with hollow compression screws in treating comminuted fractures of talar body.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data of 13 patients with comminuted talar body fractures who received absorbable rod-assisted hollow compression screw treatment from July 2023 to January 2025. There were 11 males and 2 females;aged from 27 to 64 years old;7 patients caused by falling down, 4 patients caused by traffic accidents, and 2 patients caused by heavy objects;the time from injury to medical consulatation was 1 to 6 hours;8 patients involved fractures of the posterior tubercle of the talar body, 4 patients involved fractures of the lateral tubercle of the talar body, and 1 patient involved both lateral tubercle and posterior tubercle of talar body. The time of fracture healing and occurrence of complications were recorded. Clinical efficacy were evaluated by American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, Hawkins ankle joint function score, and visual analogue scale(VAS) for pain.

RESULTS

All 13 patients were performed successfully without intraoperative complications. Postoperative follow-up was completed for all patients, with a median duration of 18 months(ranged from 6 to 28 months). Primary wound healing was achieved in all patients, and no postoperative complications, such as surgical site infection or delayed wound healing occurred. AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score increased from 44 to 63 and 55 to 76 at 3 and 6 months postoperatively, respectively, to 62 to 95 at the latest follow-up. At the latest follow-up, according to AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score, 4 patients were excellent, 6 patients were good, and 3 patients were fair. VAS was decreased from 6 to 8 before operation, 5 to 6 at 3 months, and 2 to 4 at 6 months after operation, and 1 to 2 points at the latest follow-up. At the latest follow-up, Hawkins ankle function score ranged from 7 to 14 points, with 4 patients got excellent result, 5 patients good, and 4 patients fair. There were 2 patients with traumatic arthritis and 1 patient with mild numbness in the sole of foot.

CONCLUSION

The concurrent application of absorbable rods and hollow compression screws in the surgical management of comminuted talar body fractures has demonstrated favorable short-and medium-term clinical outcomes. This technique facilitates fracture union, enhances functional recovery, and is associated with a low complication rate. These findings support its consideration as a viable surgical option for this challenging injury.