Posteromedial Approach for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus

Abstract

Background: Medial malleolar osteotomy is an established procedure for accessing the medial localized osteochondral lesions of the talus. The purpose of this study was to describe a single approach, which allows perpendicular access to the lesion without a malleolar osteotomy. Methods: Six patients were treated surgically for medial localized talar osteochondral lesions. Four patients had stage III and 2 patients had stage IV lesions. A single posteromedial approach was used for accessing the medial talar dome. Results: The method of treatment was mosaicplasty in 4 patients and osteochondral fragment fixation in 2 patients. One patient who was treated with a fragment fixation procedure showed screw loosening. Incorporation of the osteochondral grafts was proved by magnetic resonance imaging in all mosaicplasty cases. Conclusion: A single posteromedial approach was sufficient in the posteromedial localized osteochondral lesion of the talus. As the lesion was approached by soft tissue exposure only, a malleolar osteotomy was not required. Thus, osteotomy-related complications were avoided. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.