Study of Anatomical Variations of Human Tali Based on Their Calcaneal Articular Facets

ABSTRACT Talus is the important tarsal bone which participates in the formation of talocrural, subtarsal and talocalcaneo-navicular joints. Anatomical variations of calcaneal articular facets on tali can be of help to Orthopaedic surgeons in pathologies of foot for reconstruction and rehabilitation procedures in many diseases of the foot such as Talocalcaneal arthritis, tarsal coalition, fracture neck of talus, congenital dysmorphology like flat foot, valgus deformity etc. So this study was aimed to observe the anatomical variations in tali. 200 adult human tali were studied from department of Anatomy, Mahathma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry and other medical colleges in and around Puducherry. Each talus was examined for the presence of various patterns of articular facets. Later they were classified into five groups. Type I tali was found in 42 %. Type II in 30%, type III in 4% and type IV in 3% of cases. Type V had three subtypes, subtype A was present in 10%, B was in 9% and C was in 2%. In the present study, type I had highest incidence and type IV had lowest incidence