Allograft Bone Screw in a Comminuted Hawkins III Talar Neck Fracture: Case Report
<b>Background:</b> Talar neck fractures are complex injuries that become particularly challenging when accompanied by bone loss or comminution. This case report introduces the use of an allograft bone screw as a novel method for bridging lateral comminution at the talar neck, providing structural support and promoting bone regeneration. <b>Methods</b>: A 20-year-old male sustained a comminuted talar neck fracture with subtalar and tibiotalar dislocation after a bouldering fall. Urgent surgical intervention involved open reduction and internal fixation using a two-incision technique. The medial key fragment was stabilized with two conventional compression screws, revealing a significant lateral bony defect. This was bridged and stabilized with an allogeneic cortical bone screw (Shark Screw<sup>®</sup>, Surgebright GmbH, Lichtenberg, Austria), supplemented by bone replacement material. <b>Results</b>: At three months, CT confirmed fracture healing, and weight-bearing was initiated. At six months, the AOFAS score was 85/100 and FAAM 69/84, with no significant pain or swelling. By one year, the patient demonstrated full weight-bearing with occasional pain (AOFAS 88/100, FAAM 79/84). At two years, the patient achieved a pain-free range of motion and full activity participation (AOFAS 100/100, FAAM 83/84). <b>Conclusions</b>: The successful application of this technique illustrates the potential of allograft bone screws for stabilizing and bridging defects in talar neck fractures.
Authors
- Viktor Labmayr (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3224-9380)
- Patrick Holweg
- Martin Ornig
- Konstanze Huetter
Institutions
- Medical University of Graz (AT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Clinical Medicine
- Published
- 2024-12-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13237457
- Primary Topic
- Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz
- Medizinische Universität Graz