Biomechanical Stability of Intramedullary Technique for Fixation of Joint Depressed Calcaneus Fracture

BACKGROUND: Internal fixation of the os calcis is often complicated by prolonged soft tissue management and posterior facet disruption. An ideal calcaneal construct would include minimal hardware prominence, sturdy posterior facet fixation and nominal soft tissue disruption. The purpose of this study was to develop such a construct and provide a biomechanical analysis comparing our technique to a standard internal fixation technique. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty fresh-frozen cadaver calcanei were used to create a reproducible Sanders type-IIB calcaneal fracture pattern. One calcaneus of each pair was randomly selected to be fixed using our compressive headless screw technique. The contralateral matched calcaneus was fixed with a nonlocking calcaneal plate in a traditional fashion. Each calcaneus was cyclically loaded at a frequency of 1 Hz for 4000 cycles using an increasing force from 250 N to 1000 N. An Optotrak motion capturing system was used to detect relative motion of the three fracture fragments at eight different points along the fracture lines. Horizontal separation and vertical displacement at the fracture lines was recorded, as well as relative rotation at the primary fracture line. RESULTS: When the data were averaged, there was more horizontal displacement at the primary fracture line of the plate and screw construct compared to the headless screw construct. The headless screw construct also had less vertical displacement at the primary fracture line at every load. On average those fractures fixed with the headless screw technique had less rotation than those fixed with the side plate technique. CONCLUSION: A new headless screw technique for calcaneus fracture fixation was shown to provide stability as good as, or better than, a standard side plating technique under the axial loading conditions of our model. Although further testing is needed, the stability of the proposed technique is similar to that typically provided by intramedullary fixation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This fixation technique provides a biomechanically stable construct with the potential for a minimally invasive approach and improved post-operative soft tissue healing.