title: Postoperative complications after closed calcaneus fracture treated by open reduction and internal fixation: a review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review postoperative complications reported after closed calcaneus fracture treated by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Postoperative complications reported in the literature between 1995 and 2012 were identified. Papers were retrieved from publicly available databases and included in this study if they met the following criteria: clinical research of cases of closed calcaneus fracture treated by ORIF; ≥10 cases; detailed information about complications, treatment and follow up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one clinical reports were analysed (2046 cases). Reported complications (and incidence rates) were: infection and skin flap necrosis (13.6%); neurovascular injury (2.8%); post-traumatic arthritis (1.2%); malreduction/implant problems (0.8%); nonunion (0.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Postoperative complications after closed calcaneus fracture are common clinical problems that cannot always be avoided. They can even be life altering, due to the requirement for long-term treatment or amputation and their economic impact on the patient. Complications should be diagnosed and treated promptly, to achieve satisfactory outcomes. Nonsurgical treatment (e.g. local wound care, drugs or physical therapy) can be attempted. If such measures fail, surgical treatment (e.g. debridement, skin flap transplantation, implant removal, re-opening of the reduction and internal fixation or subtalar joint arthrodesis) should be considered.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, China.
authors: Xiao
authors: X
authors: Yu
authors: Qing-Jiang
authors: QJ
authors: Pang
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Chang-Chun
authors: CC
authors: Yang
authors: Xian-Jun
authors: XJ
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D002111:Calcaneus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011183:Postoperative Complications
keywords: Calcaneus; fracture; open reduction and internal fixation; postoperative complications; review; treatment