Effect of surgeon training, fracture, and patient variables on calcaneal fracture management.

Background:There appears to be a general lack of consensus in treating calcaneus fractures. Many different patient-based variables such as smoking, diabetes, or occupation, may influence treatment decisions possibly more so than the nature of the injury itself. Indications for operative versus nonop-erative treatment are often unclear. The goals of this study were to determine if lack of consensus exists, determine which factors most influence orthopaedic surgeons in choosing operative versus nonoperative treatment and determine if there are differences in treatment based on fellowship training and exposure to these injuries.Materials and Methods:Practicing orthopaedic surgeons of various backgrounds and training were administered an electronic survey. The survey consisted of clinical vignettes and questions regarding fellowship training, demographics and exposure to calcaneus fractures. Orthopaedic surgeons were asked to weigh the importance of patient-based variables in determining operative versus nono...