Long-term outcomes of talus osteochondral autologous transplantation in soccer players: 24 mosaicplasty with more than 10 years of follow-up

Abstract

Objective: Around 17% to 40% of professional soccer players' joint injuries affect the ankle. Although their incidence rate is relatively low, it is necessary to treat the cartilage and osteochondral talus injury in most cases, particularly in athletes. According to the latest International Consensus Meeting on Cartilage Repair of the Ankle implicates that there is not enough evidence to make a proper guideline; therefore, the study aims to investigate the long-term outcomes of talar mosaicplasty. Mathods: In a single-center retrospective study, the long-term outcomes of talus mosaicplasty procedures in soccer players between 1997 and 2011 were investigated. A combination of scores was used: the FAOS (Foot and Ankle Outcome Score) and Bandi score in order to evaluate the ankle and donor site function, the Tegner scores to measure activity, and the MOCART 2.0 (Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue) score to describe cartilage surface. Players' skill level was divided into professional, competitive, and recreational groups. Results: Twenty-four soccer players were included; 13 had MRI at the last follow-up control. The average follow-up time was 13.84 ± 3.65 (10.22-22.82) years. The mean FAOS score was 86.16 ± 16.05 (24-99), MOCART was 50.76 ± 12.55 (25-70), and 87% of the patients had a good to excellent Bandi score. The overall return to sport was 11.4 ± 4.8 (3.6-24) months. Conclusion: Mosaicplasty has a good long-term functional outcome score and proved to be a reliable treatment option for the athletic population.

Keywords

• Ankle
• Follow-up
• Long-term
• MOCART
• Mosaicplasty
• Soccer