Abstract Chronic calcaneal osteomyelitis represents a complex surgical challenge due to poor soft-tissue coverage, limited vascularity, and the weight-bearing function of the heel. While below-knee amputation has traditionally been considered the definitive treatment, calcanectomy offers a limb-salvage alternative in selected patients. Bilateral total calcanectomy is exceedingly rare, and functional outcomes remain uncertain. We report a case of bilateral total calcanectomy performed for chronic polymicrobial calcaneal osteomyelitis in a 66-year-old woman. At 24-month follow-up, infection eradication, complete pain relief, and independent ambulation with custom orthopedic footwear were achieved. Our case highlights that bilateral total calcanectomy may result in satisfactory functional outcomes in selected patients.
Thomas et al. (Thu,) studied this question.