Outcomes of arthroscopic debridement and microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus

Aim: Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus (OLT) is a common pathology in orthopedic injuries. Recently arthroscopic microfracture treatment is widely used as a simple technique with clinically satisfactory outcomes. The present study aimed to reveal the outcomes of arthroscopic OLT treatment and determine the appropriate patient group. Material and Methods: 21 patients who underwent arthroscopic debridement and microfracture for OLT were evaluated retrospectively between March 2015 and May 2016. The clinical assessment was performed by using The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) prior to the surgery and at the final follow up. Results: The mean diameter of lesions were measured as 1.1 cm2 (0.7-1.7) arthroscopically. The mean age of the patients was 35 (18-55) years. Lesions were located at the medial side in 17 patients and lateral side in 4 patients. The mean value of preop AOFAS score was 65.4±7.3 (55-78) and it was 86.6 ± 8.3 (68-100) at the final follow up. VAS scores of the patients were 6.7±1.2 (5-9) prior to the surgery and 2.2±1.3 (0-5) at the final follow up. Conclusion: Arthroscopic treatment of OLTs is a beneficial technique with low complication rate in broad range of patients. Patient’s age and lesion size are guideway in patients requiring arthroscopic treatment. As the age and lesion size increase, surgical treatment becomes less beneficial.