MORPHOMETRY OF THE TALOCRURAL JOINT

Based on two orthogonal radiologic views, the authors present a morpho metric study of the talocrural joint. In 50 normal subjects, 10 parame ters were measured and divided into 3 groups: the distal tibial joint surface parameters, the malleolar parameters and the talar parameters. These parameters were treated in both a descriptive and a correlative analysis. If the talocrural joint is a hinge joint whose talar articu lar surface can be simplified and classed as a cylinder segment, it is possible to calculate its curve radius. Then the correlative analysis allows to define the talar parameters and the corresponding parameter s of the distal tibial joint surface. The malleolar parameters are ind ependent factors. This study is the first morphologic analysis to serv e as a basis for an ankle arthroplasty.