Talar Dislocation: Is Reimplantation a Safe Procedure?

Total or complete dislocation of the talus is a triple dislocation of the tibiotalar, talocalcaneal, and talonavicular joints. It is a rare injury and is considered to be 1 of the most disabling ankle injuries. In light of the literature, there is a lack of consensus on their surgical treatment. The primary objective of this retrospective case series was to assess the long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of 5 patients who underwent talar reimplantation for total talar dislocation. From 2005 to 2011, 5 patients were admitted in emergency care unit with a total talar dislocation. The talar dislocation was surgically reduced and stabilized by a temporary internal fixation. Patients were reviewed with a mean follow-up of 60 months (48-70 months). Clinical and radiological evaluations were performed at the last follow-up. Despite 3 opened-dislocation (60%), none had infection. Three patients obtained subnormal biomechanical function with an American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score of 60 to 70/100. Two others patients (40%) underwent a secondary ankle arthrodesis because of avascular necrosis of the talus. Signs of necrosis appeared at 15 months and 24 months. Talar reimplantation should be attempted despite the risk of avascular necrosis: restoration of the talus in the ankle maintains normal hindfoot anatomy and preserves bone stock for future function or a subsequent surgical procedure. Patients should be informed of the risk of secondary surgery. Opened-dislocation seems to be a major risk factor of avascular necrosis, and surgeon must take care to keep soft tissues attached.