Lateral subtalar dislocation associated with bimalleolar fracture: case report and literature review

Abstract

Subtalar dislocation is an uncommon injury that affects the talocalcaneal and talonavicular joints, with the tibiotalar and calcaneocuboid joints remaining intact. The 4 types of subtalar dislocation are medial, lateral, anterior, and posterior, although the latter 2 are rare. These injuries-especially lateral dislocation-occur as a result of high-energy trauma. Medial dislocation is the most common type, and lateral dislocation is associated with osteochondral fractures of the talus and calcaneus, as well as with open injuries; hence, its worse prognosis. We report the case of a 62-year-old woman diagnosed with lateral subtalar dislocation accompanied by an ipsilateral bimalleolar fracture after a fall downstairs. She underwent emergency reduction of the dislocation under sedation. Surgical treatment of the bimalleolar fracture was delayed 9 days to avoid cutaneous complications. This is the first report of a subtalar dislocation accompanied by a bimalleolar fracture.