BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to report the short-term complication rates and mid-term subtalar fusion rates following operative management of calcaneal fractures. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of Californians undergoing operative treatment of a calaneus fracture from 1995 to 2005. The main outcomes reported are readmission for a short-term complication within 90 days of surgery and reoperation for subtalar fusion during the observation period. RESULTS: We identified 4481 patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of their fracture as inpatients within 30 days of the index admission. The short-term rate of complications included a 90-day rate of readmission of 1.03% for wound infection, 0.25% for thromboembolic disease, and 0.22% for mortality. The mid-term rate of subtalar fusion was 3.49% at 5 years post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the short-term complication rates and mid-term subtalar fusion rates following operative management of calcaneal fractures using population-based data.
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to report the short-term complication rates and mid-term subtalar fusion rates following operative management of calcaneal fractures. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of Californians undergoing operative treatment of a calaneus fracture from 1995 to 2005. The main outcomes reported are readmission for a short-term complication within 90 days of surgery and reoperation for subtalar fusion during the observation period. RESULTS: We identified 4481 patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of their fracture as inpatients within 30 days of the index admission. The short-term rate of complications included a 90-day rate of readmission of 1.03% for wound infection, 0.25% for thromboembolic disease, and 0.22% for mortality. The mid-term rate of subtalar fusion was 3.49% at 5 years post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the short-term complication rates and mid-term subtalar fusion rates following operative management of calcaneal fractures using population-based data.