METHOD FOR THREE-JOINT FOOT FUSION Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC A61B17/56 

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to medicine, namely traumatology and orthopaedics and may be used for treating patients with talipes and foot instability. An external fixation apparatus is applied. That is ensured by inserting through skin punctures a first rod in a projection of a medial shin surface at the border of medium and lower one-third, a second rod in an anterior portion of heel bone from a lateral external surface, a third rod in a posterior portion of heel bone from a lateral internal surface, a fourth rod through the middle of a navicular body in cuboid bone, a pin at a distance from a posterior edge of medial malleolus through ankle bone from an internal cavity of its posterior portion towards an external surface of its anterior portion. The first rod is fixed in a ring, while the second, third rods and the pin are fixed in an elongated semi-ring, and the fourth rod in fixed in a semi-ring. The ring, the semi-ring and the elongated semi-ring is connected by means of bars and supporting arms. The semi-ring is inserted at an angle approximately 40-45° to shin and foot axes in a sagittal plane. A surgical approach is created. Articular cartilages are removed from talocalcanean, talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joint. Talipes is eliminated. It is followed by compression in three joints - talocalcanean, talonavicular and calcaneocuboid - to ensure tight contact of their articular surfaces. The foot is stabilised.

EFFECT: method provides a reduced risk of postoperative complications and length of ankylosis formation in talocalcanean, talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints.

3 cl, 3 dwg, 1 ex