Published online Apr 18, 2015. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v6.i3.374
Peer-review started: September 21, 2014
First decision: November 14, 2014
Revised: December 1, 2014
Accepted: March 5, 2015
Article in press: March 9, 2015
Published online: April 18, 2015
Processing time: 199 Days and 14.6 Hours
Isolated subtalar dislocations are unusual injuries due to the inherent instability of the talus. Subtalar dislocations are frequently associated with fractures of the malleoli, the talus, the calcaneus or the fifth metatarsal. Four types of subtalar dislocation have been described according to the direction of the foot in relation to the talus: medial, lateral posterior and anterior. It has been shown that some of these dislocations may spontaneously reduce. A rare case of a 36-year-old male patient who sustained a closed medial subtalar dislocation without any associated fractures of the ankle is reported. The patient suffered a pure closed medial subtalar dislocation that is hardly reported in the literature. Six months after injury the patient did not report any pain, had a satisfactory range of motion, and no signs of residual instability or early posttraumatic osteoarthritis. The traumatic mechanism, the treatment options, and the importance of a stable and prompt closed reduction and early mobilization are discussed.
Core tip: Isolated subtalar dislocations are rare injuries. Subtalar dislocations occur typically in combination with fractures of the adjacent bones such as malleoli, talus, and calcaneus. In this case report of an isolated subtalar dislocation, a successful outcome was achieved after immediate reduction and a 4-wk period of immobilization. This manuscript highlights the importance of prompt reduction and short period of immobilization in order to avoid complications, such as stiffness and arthritis.