Preshaping plates for minimally invasive fixation of calcaneal fractures using a real-size 3D-printed model as a preoperative and intraoperative tool

摘要

The extensile lateral approach has been the most common approach for the operative treatment of intra-articular calca-neal fractures. Although it allows excellent exposure of the fracture, soft tissue complications, including flap necrosis and wound infection, have been a concern. In an attempt to eliminate these complications, minimally invasive approaches, such as a sinus tarsi approach or lateral subtalar approach, have been developed. However, with these approaches, plate fixation is limited to plates much smaller to those used in extensile lateral approach. Several articles report minimally invasive surgery protocols using only screws, but in multifragmentary fractures of the anterior process, axial screws may not gain enough purchase to stabilize the construct adequately.