title: Clinical and computed tomography evaluation of surgical outcomes in tarsal navicular stress fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As clinical suspicion increases and radiographic evaluation improves, navicular stress fractures are becoming a more recognized injury. To date, there is a small volume of literature examining these stress fractures, particularly as it pertains to outcomes of surgical management.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical and computed tomography (CT) outcomes of surgically treated navicular stress fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series; Level of evidence, 4.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten navicular stress fractures in 10 patients were available for follow-up at an average of 42.4 months postoperatively (range, 16.8-79.9). These patients underwent a clinical examination and a CT scan of their operatively treated foot. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and SF-36 scores were completed for each fracture at the time of examination. The CT scans were blindly evaluated for bony union.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the CT scan evaluation, 8 of 10 navicula (80%) had gone on to union. Clinical outcome scores on all patients were an average AOFAS hindfoot score of 88.5 and an average SF-36 score of 88.3. The feet with united fractures had an average AOFAS score of 92.1 (range, 83-100) and an average SF-36 score of 91.9 (range, 79-98). The 2 patients with nonunions had AOFAS scores of 74 and 74 and SF-36 scores of 70 and 78, respectively. Both nonunions were complete, displaced fractures on preoperative imaging.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our series of operatively treated navicular stress fractures, 80% went on to union, as verified by CT scan. Patients with united fractures had a clinically significant improvement in outcome, with higher AOFAS and SF-36 scores as compared with the 2 patients with nonunions. Patients with complete, displaced navicular stress fractures may be more likely to develop nonunions.
authors.affiliation: Washington University Orthopaedics, Chesterfield, Missouri 63017, USA. mccormickj@wudosis.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: Christopher C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.forename: W Hodges
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Carroll P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013639:Tarsal Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult