Surgical Treatments of Talar Osteochondral Lesion: A Long-term Follow-up of Return to Sport and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures

Abstract

Category: Ankle, Arthroscopy, Sports, Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Talar osteochondral lesion (TOCL) is a common problem in the young athletic population, mostly related to trauma. TOCL surgical treatment algorithm remains controversial, though results are improving as we gain experience. The results of TOCL surgical treatment on function and return to sport are promising, but quantified return to sport metrics remain largely unknown. Methods: A total of 156 consecutive patients following TOCL chondroplasty (10/1/2000-5/31/2018) by a single practice were retrospectively reviewed and included in this study. There were 54.5% female with a mean age 38.2 years, and mean follow-up 40.2 months following the index surgery. Patients were divided into four groups according to the type of chondroplasty performed: Antegrade arthroscopic drilling and/or microfracture (antegrade, 83 patients), retrograde arthroscopic drilling (retrograde, 35 patients), osteochondral autograft transfer (OATS, 26 patients), and allograft cartilage implantation (allograft, 12 patients). VAS scores for pain and function at the final clinic visit were collected. Patient-reported outcome measures including the short form-12 (SF-12), The Foot and Ankle Disability Index Sports Module (FADI-sports), Tegner score, Marx scale, Naal’s Sports inventory are also actively being collected. Results: Nearly 75% of patients are satisfied with surgical intervention of TOCLs. Allograft transplant was the least satisfying (71.4%), while OATS was the most satisfying (90%). Each surgical intervention yielded significantly decreased pain and increased function postoperatively (all p<0.001). Currently, 57 patients (36%) provided patient-reported outcome measures, with an average follow up of 79.8 months (Table 1). All surgical interventions trended toward decreased Tegner score, though only antegrade drilling showed a significant decrease (p<0.001). Based on Naal’s sports inventory, 85.7% of surgically treated patients reported participating in sport activities, on average 3 times/week and 50.6 minutes/session. Conclusion: Traditionally, TOCLs presented a difficult problem that is marred by unsatisfactory surgical outcomes in typically active patients. As our surgical understanding has evolved, we’ve continued to improve on outcomes. Our patients demonstrated a 74.5% satisfaction rate, a statistically significant improvement in pain and function, and a high rate of return to sport with little difference between surgical interventions at a long-term follow-up.