OBJECTIVETo evaluate cost-effectiveness of poking reduction and open reduction for the treatment of Sanders type II calcaneal fractures, in order to provide evidence for standard treatment.

METHODSFrom 2006.10 to 2008.10, 80 patients with Sanders type II calcaneal fractures were selected from Shandong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and randomly divided into poking reduction group and open reduction group with 40 cases in each group. There were 26 males and 14 females in poking reduction group and 30 males and 10 females in open reduction group. The average age of patients in poking reduction group was (36.60+/-3.15) years, and (37.10+/-3.45) years in open reduction group. Bohler angle, Gissane angle, the width of central calcaneus, stance phase of gait, HM-HL,arch index and subtalair joint flexibility were measured. The clinical results and expenses of the two treatment schemes were compared and concluded with the method of cost-effetiveness analysis.

RESULTSIn the poking reduction group and open reduction group, the Böhler angle were (30.32+/-1.72) degree and (30.54+/-3.13) degree, Gissane angle were (133.73+/-6.73) degree and (134.86+/-4.90) degree, the width of central calcaneus were (30.18+/-1.59) mm and (30.24+/-1.25) mm, stance phase of gait were (0.679+/-0.070) s and (0.715+/-0.090) s, HM-HL were--(36.49+/-7.56) N and -(34.32+/-6.50) N,arch index were (30.26+/-2.69) and (30.47+/-1.89), and subtalair joint flexibility were (10.53+/-2.30) degree and (10.89+/-1.86) degree respectively. The cost-effectiveness ratio (C/E) were 6.06 and 136.19 respectively.

CONCLUSIONCost-effectiveness ratio of the poking reduction is superior to that of the open reduction in treating Sanders type II calcaneal fractures. Poking reduction is a useful method to treat Sanders type II calcaneal fractures with rapid wound healing and less cost.