Objective: We aimed to evaluate the clinical and functional outcomes of 45 patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation for calcaneal fractures.

Methods: Sanders classification system was used to determine the fracture type. American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot scale was used for clinical evaluation of patients. The patients were hospitalized with Jones bandage-like bandage or short leg splint. The patients were treated with ice, elevation, parenteral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and thromboembolism prophylaxis. All of the patients were evaluated with wrinkle test at their visits. Those who were positive for wrinkle test were operated on a mean of 14.3 days (1-25). Four of the patients had minimally invasive surgery and 41 of them were operated with extended lateral intervention. The mean follow-up period was 25.8 months (8-56 months). After discharge, the patients were called for routine follow-up visits every 15 days, then monthly checks in the first 1.5 months, then every 3 months after the 6th month and yearly after the 1st year.

Results: Nine of 45 patients were female (20%) and 36 were male (80%). The mean age of the patients was 39.9 (21-60) years. Preoperatively, the mean Böhler angles were 3.6° and the Gissane angles were 128.8. The mean AOFAS score was 83.9. According to the fracture type; this was 94.6 in patients with tongue fractures, 88 in type 2 patients, 82.8 in type 3 patients and 78.3 in type 4 patients.

Conclusion: As a result of this study good and satisfactory results can be obtained radiologically and functionally in Sanders type 2, type 3 and tongue type fractures. However, although we obtained radiologically good results in Sanders type 4 fractures, we did not achieve functional excellent results in any patients.