Resection of the calcaneus as a treatment option in osteitis at following an open calcaneal fracture

Surgical treatment of calcaneal fractures is demanding due to the poor musculocutaneous coverage. Infection with osteitis is a severe complication with open fractures. The appearance of osteitis requires aggressive surgical treatment including amputation in case of persistence, leading to considerable invalidism. We report the case of an 37-year-old mason with an grade III open calcaneal fracture caused by a fall. Osteitis appeared after primary osteosynthesis with open reduction and eventually - after several revisions required a calcanectomy. By preservation of the forefoot and midfoot and thanks to sufficient orthesis treatment the patient was able to return to his profession after eigth months.