Astragalectomy, sometimes called a talectomy, is a

surgical Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pat ...

operation for removal of the

talus bone The talus (; Latin for ankle or ankle bone), talus bone, astragalus (), or ankle bone is one of the group of foot bones known as the tarsus. The tarsus forms the lower part of the ankle joint. It transmits the entire weight of the body from the ...

(astragalus) for stabilization of the

ankle The ankle, or the talocrural region, or the jumping bone (informal) is the area where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle includes three joints: the ankle joint proper or talocrural joint, the subtalar joint, and the inferior tibiofibular joi ...

. Historically, an astragalectomy was used in cases of severe ankle trauma and congenial talipes equinovarus (clubfoot). It is no longer a common operation, but is still used in cases of a deformed calcaneus, foot paralysis following poliomyelitis, and rigid

clubfoot Clubfoot is a birth defect where one or both feet are rotated inward and downward. Congenital clubfoot is the most common congenital malformation of the foot with an incidence of 1 per 1000 births. In approximately 50% of cases, clubfoot aff ...

deformities that are secondary to

spina bifida Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, men ...

arthrogryposis Arthrogryposis (AMC) describes congenital joint contracture in two or more areas of the body. It derives its name from Greek, literally meaning "curving of joints" (', "joint"; ', late Latin form of late Greek ', "hooking"). Children born with one ...

(AMC). The surgery is also performed in severe cases of pulverized or infected open fractures. Generally, the surgical procedure involves making an anterolateral incision, stripping the ligaments from both malleoli and the calcaneus so that the foot can be displaced posteriorly. The talus is then resected, and the foot is placed so that the

lateral malleolus A malleolus is the bony prominence on each side of the human ankle. Each leg is supported by two bones, the tibia on the inner side (medial) of the leg and the fibula on the outer side (lateral) of the leg. The medial malleolus is the promine ...

rests opposite the

calcaneocuboid joint The calcaneocuboid joint is the joint between the calcaneus and the cuboid bone. Structure The calcaneocuboid joint is a type of saddle joint between the calcaneus and the cuboid bone. Ligaments There are five ligaments connecting the calcan ...

, and the

medial malleolus A malleolus is the bony prominence on each side of the human ankle. Each leg is supported by two bones, the tibia on the inner side (medial) of the leg and the fibula on the outer side (lateral) of the leg. The medial malleolus is the promine ...

lies just above and behind the

navicular bone The navicular bone is a small bone found in the feet of most mammals. Human anatomy The navicular bone in humans is one of the tarsal bones, found in the foot. Its name derives from the human bone's resemblance to a small boat, caused by th ...

. The foot is held in place with a surgical pin or with

Kirschner wire Kirschner wires or K-wires or pins are sterilized, sharpened, smooth stainless steel pins. Introduced in 1909 by Martin Kirschner, the wires are now widely used in orthopedics and other types of medical and veterinary surgery. They come in differ ...

. After the operation, the patient wears an above-knee cast for six weeks, followed by a below-knee cast for eighteen weeks.

References

Podiatry procedures and surgeries
{{Bone, cartilage, and joint procedures Orthopedic surgical procedures Surgical removal procedures

See also

References