Eighty-five talus fractures treated by ORIF with five to eight years of follow-up study of 69 patients.

Four types of talus fractures can be distinguished and the prognosis predicted on the basis of vascular patterns before and after injury. Early decompression of the soft tissues or anatomic reduction by closed or (if not possible) open methods is indicated. Stable fixation by lag screws and functional aftertreatment help to improve the prognosis. The late results with reference to necrosis, posttraumatic arthrosis, secondary arthrodesis, and functional outcome show that open reduction and internal fixation, applied early, can produce better functions than was heretofore thought possible. Special emphasis is placed on careful indications, operative techniques, and postoperative treatment--particularly the time of partial weight-bearing with a caliper brace.