Beware the Emergency Ankle Fracture Referral: An Unusual Case of Lateral Subtalar Joint Dislocation Secondary to Calcaneal Fracture with associated Lateral Malleolus Fracture.

INTRODUCTION

The referral of a lateral malleolus fracture is one of the commonest orthopaedic trauma presentations. Failure to fully assess the patient and radiography can lead to missing associated injuries in the hindfoot.

CASE REPORT: We describe an unusual hindfoot injury with an atypical combination of lateral subtalar dislocation and calcaneal fracture with associated lateral malleolus fracture that was initially not appreciated by the referring emergency department. This case is of particular interest as subtalar dislocation is a rare injury and lateral subtalar dislocation is even rarer.

CONCLUSION

Failure to fully assess such injuries and manage non-operatively leads to early degenerative tibia-talar, hindfoot and midfoot changes and a difficult situation for the surgeon to salvage. We advocate early CT scan and open reduction with fixation for such cases.