Chronic subluxation of the midtarsal joint of the foot: a case report

Traumatic injuries to the midtarsal joint are quite uncommon and usually involve fractures of adjacent bones. Pure dislocations without fracture are very rare. A patient sustained a pure dislocation that was treated with a nonweight-bearing cast for six weeks, but she went on to present with chronic subluxation at the midtarsal joint. Imaging modalities were confusing because the pathology was seen only when the deformation was present throughout the imaging examination, not when it was reduced. Stress varus- valgus radiographs of the foot, not ankle, provided a definitive diagnosis. The patient was treated successful by arthrodesis of calcaneocuboid and talo-navicular joints (the midtarsal joint which was unstable) without subtalar fusion.