Atlas and epitome of traumatic fractures and dislocations / by H. Helferich ; auth. tr. from the German, ed. by Joseph C. Bloodgood.

  • Helferich, H. (Heinrich), 1851-1945.
Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Atlas and epitome of traumatic fractures and dislocations / by H. Helferich ; auth. tr. from the German, ed. by Joseph C. Bloodgood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    is greatly interfered with; there is constant pain; and characteristic anomaUes in the position of the foot, with depression of the malleoli, are noted. This fracture is much more common than was formerly supposed. The injury is often mistaken for a severe sprain. The most accurate examination is indispensable. The prognosis of this fracture is not very favorable. Even when it is recognized early, the functional use of the foot is, as a rule, greatly impaired for some time. If the case is recognized very late, the individuaPs abil- ity to earn his living may be greatly diminished for a long time or even per- manently. This is no doubt in part due to the fact, established by more recent methods of inves- tigation, that the fracture in many cases is not con- fined to the OS calcis, but involves other adjoining bones, such as the malleoli and the neck of the as- tragalus. Treatment.—Unless the fragments are replaced and the foot remains fixed for a long time in good position, traumatic flat-foot is apt to develop. The heel should not be subjected to exces- sive pressure at first on account of the danger of fat em- bolism ; later on, compression, combined with massage and passive movements, is of distinct advantage. Fracture of the tuberosity of the os calcis is not com- mon. It is due to muscular action, such as sudden con- traction of the muscles of the calf, or to direct contusion. It also complicates the clinical picture of severe compres- Fig. 155.—Fractvire of the tuber- osity of the OS calcis by a fall on the feet, four weeks old. Female, forty- eight years of age. There is marked upward displacement of the fragment. Operation. Eecovery.