Treatment of Refractory Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus with a Novel Transmalleolar Drilling Technique

Abstract

Case: A 15-year-old adolescent girl underwent revision surgery for a posteromedial osteochondral lesion of the talus (OLT). To provide anatomic reduction of her lesion, fluoroscopy and ankle arthroscopy facilitated a transmalleolar tunnel for screw fixation. Now, 8 years after surgery, the patient reports high patient satisfaction and pain-free functional use of her ankle. Conclusion: A transmalleolar tunnel technique provides an alternative method to treat posteromedial OLT. This minimally invasive procedure allows patients to be spared potential complications from a medial malleolar osteotomy or a posteromedial incision. Most importantly, this case report demonstrates a positive long-term patient outcome.