Purpose: Osteochondral talar defects are infrequent in children, and little is known about the treatment and clinical outcome of these defects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of conservative and primary surgically treated osteochondral talar defects in skeletally immature children.
Methods: Thirty-six (97%) of 37 eligible patients with a symptomatic primary osteochondral talar defect were evaluated after a median follow-up of 4 years (range 1-12 years). Clinical assessment included the Berndt and Harty outcome question, Ogilvie-Harris score, Visual Analog Scale pain score (at rest, during walking and during running), the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and the SF-36. Weight-bearing radiographs were compared with preoperative radiographs with the use of an ankle osteoarthritis classification system.
Results: Ninety-two per cent of the initially conservatively treated children [mean age 13 years (SD 2)] were eventually scheduled to undergo surgery. After fixation of the fragment, seven cases (78%) reported a good Berndt and Harty outcome, and two cases (22%) a fair outcome; the median AOFAS score was 95.0 (range 77-100). After debridement and bone marrow stimulation, 13 cases (62%) reported a good Berndt and Harty outcome, three cases (14%) a fair outcome, and five cases (24%) a poor outcome; the median AOFAS score was 95.0 (range 45-100). No signs of degenerative changes were seen in both groups at follow-up.
Conclusions: Fixation and debridement and bone marrow stimulation of an osteochondral talar defect are both good surgical options after failed conservative treatment.
Level of evidence: Retrospective case series, Therapeutic, Level IV.