Introduction: The following is an original case report in the literature of a patient with post-traumatic bilateral calcaneum fracture, both type III of Sanders' classification, that was treated, by the same surgeon, in the left foot with open reduction and internal fixation and in the right foot with closed reduction and application of an external fixator.
Case report: Patient 43 y.o., male, high fall accident, with bilateral calcaneum fracture, both type III of Sanders' classification. we have chosen to treat the left foot with ORIF (Fig. 3) and the right one with closed reduction and application of an external fixator. Patient was followed up radiologically with radiographs at 2, 12 and 24 months, and clinically at 15 days, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months with the Maryland Foot Score, as suggested by Sanders et al.
Conclusion: In our patient, the one year clinical outcomes post-surgery was better in the foot treated with external fixation, regardless complex fracture and the not good status of soft tissue, due to open surgical treatment and hardwere inside. Long-term clinical follow-up given best outcomes in patients treated with ORIF, due to better reduction of subtalar joint facet and Böhler's angle.
Keywords: articular calcaneum fractures; external fixator; plate and screws.