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<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">JOHS</journal-id>
<journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">Journ of Health Scien</journal-id>
<journal-title-group>
<journal-title>Journal of HealthCare Sciences</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Journ of Health Scien</abbrev-journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="ppub">2231-2196</issn>
<issn pub-type="opub">0975-5241</issn>
<publisher>
<publisher-name>Radiance Research Academy</publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">393</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">http://dx.doi.org/10.52533/JOHS.2025.50112</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi-url"/>
<article-categories>
<subj-group subj-group-type="heading">
<subject>Orthopaedics</subject>
</subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>External Fixation of a Compound Comminuted Calcaneal Fracture in a Young Diabetic Adult Male: A Case Report
</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author">
<name>
<surname>Ahmed</surname>
<given-names>Elsiddig Ali Elsiddig</given-names>
</name>
</contrib>
</contrib-group>
<pub-date pub-type="ppub">
<day>31</day>
<month>01</month>
<year>2025</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>5</volume>
<issue>1</issue>
<fpage>93</fpage>
<lpage>100</lpage>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>This article is copyright of Popeye Publishing, 2009</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2009</copyright-year>
<license license-type="open-access" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">
<license-p>This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) Licence. You may share and adapt the material, but must give appropriate credit to the source, provide a link to the licence, and indicate if changes were made.</license-p>
</license>
</permissions>
<abstract>
<p>Background: Compound calcaneal fractures, especially Sanders Type 4, are complex injuries caused by high-impact trauma. Diabetes mellitus adds further complications, including impaired wound healing and higher infection risk. Restoring calcaneal alignment while preserving soft tissue is critical. Therefore, external fixation offers a minimally invasive method to stabilize fractures and reduce complications, making it a suitable choice for high-risk patients.
Case presentation: A 33-year-old male construction worker with type 2 diabetes mellitus fell from a height of seven meters. He presented with an open Gustilo Type II calcaneal fracture. Examination revealed swelling, ecchymosis, and a widened heel, with intact neurovascular status. Imaging confirmed a comminuted Sanders Type 4 fracture with posterior facet displacement. Emergency management included advanced trauma life support protocol, antibiotics, and wound care. Definitive treatment involved external fixation using ligamentotaxis and osteotaxis principles. Pins were placed under fluoroscopic guidance to restore height, alignment, and subtalar congruity. Postoperative care included strict wound monitoring and a structured rehabilitation plan. Follow-ups showed no infection, malalignment, or delayed healing.
Conclusion: External fixation is effective for managing complex calcaneal fractures in diabetic patients. It provides stable fracture alignment while minimizing soft tissue damage. This approach is a safe alternative to traditional methods in high-risk patients. Further research is needed to refine techniques and improve outcomes in similar cases.
</p>
</abstract>
<kwd-group>
<kwd>Calcaneal fracture</kwd>
<kwd> External fixation</kwd>
<kwd> Sanders type 4</kwd>
<kwd> Diabetes mellitus</kwd>
<kwd> Minimally invasive surgery</kwd>
</kwd-group>
</article-meta>
</front>
</article>