EPIDEMIOLOGY OF TALUS FRACTURES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

: To evaluate the characteristics of patients and their injuries, among those admitted to hospital for treatment of talus fractures between 2023 and 2025, at a tertiary care government hospital in North India.

Material and Methods: Retrospective Analysis of Medical Records of patients diagnosed with talar fractures and treated in department of Orthopaedics at a tertiary care government hospital in North India between June 2023 and May 2025. All patients with suspected talus fractures or with actual radiographic diagnosis of talus fractures underwent routine computed tomography. After a detailed review of the CT scans of the foot and ankle, twenty-nine   acute fractures of the talus were identified. The analyzed parameters were: age, gender, injury mechanism (fall from height, motorcycle accident, car accident, bullet injury, sports injury and others), laterality of fracture, type of fracture, associated trauma (musculoskeletal, craniocerebral trauma, thoracic trauma, abdominal trauma, etc.), other associated fractures, time between trauma and definitive surgical intervention, length of hospital stay.

Results: Analysis on 29 cases showed that men were more affected than women, with a ratio of 4.8:1. The most frequent trauma mechanism was fall from height, followed by motor vehicle accident. The most frequent type of fracture was at the neck of the talus, with 14 cases. Among the 29 cases, 3 had talus related dislocations at the time of presentation, thirteen had exposed fractures and 13 presented other associated fractures. The mean length of time between the trauma and the definitive treatment was 4.5 days, while the mean length of hospital stay was 17.5 days.

Conclusion: Young males who experienced high-energy trauma most frequently developed talus fractures, which were most common in the talar neck region. There were additional fractures seen in nearly half of the cases. On an average 17.5 days were spent in the hospital.