Outcome of foot injuries in multiply injured patients

In the past, foot injuries in patients with multiple trauma were thought to be of lesser importance than fractures of long bones. In one prospective study from the authors' institutions, however, multiple-trauma patients with foot injuries were shown to have a poorer functional outcome compared with matched controls. To address these concerns, this article has two parts. The first part is an overview of general principles in the treatment of foot injuries in polytrauma patients. The treatment of specific injuries is beyond the scope of this article, but an approach is highlighted that can be remembered when decisions are made regarding these severely injured patients. The second part reviews the findings from the authors' study, focusing on functional outcomes of multiple-trauma patients with foot injuries.