Concomitant fractures of neck of talus and calcaneus in children

Abstract

We report two cases of an extremely rare concomitant fractures of the neck of talus and calcaneus in children, sustained by contrasting modes of dorsiplantar and plantidorsal compression, but the same mechanism of axial compressive loading. Dissimilar and diametrically opposite modes of axial compression suggest that axial compression is the primary mechanism of injury in fractures of the neck of talus, which is the common denominator in the two cases. Early recognition of subtle presentations of undisplaced and minimally displaced fractures of the neck of talus in children is of paramount importance to avoid the high risk of avascular necrosis and demands a high index of suspicion. In the combination of fractured neck of talus and calcaneus, displacement of talus is the operative determinant of intervention and outcome.