Prospective randomized trial comparing open reduction and internal fixation with minimally invasive reduction and percutaneous fixation in managing displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures

This report has been verified by one or more authors of the original publication.

45 displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures were randomized to surgery through one of two methods: minimally invasive reduction and percutaneous fixation (MIRPF), or open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of wound healing problems, functional outcome, and radiological outcome between the two procedures. Follow-up was performed over 1 year postoperatively. Fewer wound healing problems were noted with MIRPF (0/22) compared to ORIF (7/23). Function was also found to be improved in the MIRPF group compared to the ORIF group at 3, 6, and 12 months, although results were obtained from unequal groups with respect to fracture type distribution, with more cases of less severe injury allocated to MIRPF. Further high quality studies are needed to compare these two treatments.