Osteochondral autografts for osteochondritis dissecans of the talus

Foot Ankle Int. 2003 Nov;24(11):815-22. doi: 10.1177/107110070302401102.

Abstract

Eighteen symptomatic advanced-stage osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the talus (Berndt and Harty stages III 7 and IV 11) in 17 patients were treated with multiple autogenous osteochondral cylindrical grafts. The mean time of follow-up was 36 months (range, 25-49). The average age at surgery was 22.7 years (range, 19-34). The mean size of defect of OCD was 13.6 mm x 7.2 mm. Two or three osteochondral grafts (6 or 7 mm in diameter and 15-20 mm in length) were harvested from the superomedial margin of the ipsilateral knee. A partial osteotomy of the medial malleolus or osteotomy of the distal lateral tibia was performed for all cases. Being evaluated by the Freiburg ankle score, 16 of 18 ankles (88.8%) had excellent and two (11.8%) had good results. "Second-look" arthroscopy of 16 ankles revealed consistency of the osteochondral grafts and congruity between grafts and native cartilage in 14 (87.5%), and a softening or fissuring of the osteochondral graft in two. Our results showed that this procedure provided an effective treatment for a symptomatic advanced-stage OCD of the talus.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Ankle Joint / surgery
  • Bone Transplantation* / methods
  • Cartilage, Articular / transplantation*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Osteochondritis Dissecans / pathology
  • Osteochondritis Dissecans / surgery*
  • Osteotomy / methods
  • Second-Look Surgery
  • Talus / surgery*
  • Transplantation, Autologous
  • Treatment Outcome