Abstract:[Objective] To investigate the efficacy of local injection of dexamethasone combined with ropivacaine (DR) in the preven-tion of incision-related complications of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of calcaneal fractures. [Methods] A retrospectivestudy was conducted on 136 patients (137 feet) who underwent ORIF for calcaneal fractures in our hospital from January 2019 to October2022. According to doctor-patient communication, 68 patients (68 feet) received intraoperative DR injection around the incision (the DRgroup), while the other 68 patients (69 feet) had no DR injected (the routine group). The perioperative data of the two groups were compared.[Results] Although there were no significant differences in operation time, incision length and intraoperative blood loss between the twogroups (P＞0.05), the DR group proved significantly superior to the routine group in terms of incision swelling time [(4.7±1.1) days vs (6.8±2.9) days, P＜0.001], exudation time [(3.6±1.6) days vs (6.4±1.2) days, P＜0.001], postoperative hospitalization time [(7.3±1.2) days vs (8.5±2.1) days, P＜0.001] and postoperative pain VAS score [1 day postoperatively, (5.2±1.2) vs (8.4±1.1), P＜0.001; 2 days postoperatively, (4.8±1.3) vs (6.6±1.8), P＜0.001; 3 days postoperatively, (3.4±1.8) vs (4.3±1.6), P＜0.001]. In addition, the former was significantly better than thelatter in incision healing grade [A/B/C, (66/0/2) vs (58/2/9), P=0.010], howerve, there was no statistically significant difference in postopera-tive stitches removal time between the two groups (P＞0.05). [Conclusion] Local injection of dexamethasone combined with ropivacainearound the incision does effectively reduce postoperative pain and incision-related complications in ORIF of calcaneal fracture.