Return to Sports After Surgical Treatment of Osteochondral Defects of the Talus: A Systematic Review of 2347 Cases

Background: Osteochondral defects (OCDs) of the talus are found subsequent to ankle sprains and ankle fractures. With many surgical treatment strategies available, there is no clear evidence on return-to-sport (RTS) times and rates. Purpose: To summarize RTS times and rates for talar OCDs treated by different surgical techniques. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: The literature from January 1996 to November 2018 was screened, and identified studies were divided into 7 different surgical treatment groups. The RTS rate, with and without associated levels of activity, and the mean time to RTS were calculated per study. When methodologically possible, a simplified pooling method was used to combine studies within 1 treatment group. Study bias was assessed using the MINORS (Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies) scoring system. Results: A total of 61 studies including 2347 talar OCDs were included. The methodological quality of the studies was poor. There were 10 retrospective case series (RCSs) that investigated bone marrow stimulation in 339 patients, with a pooled mean rate of RTS at any level of 88% (95% CI, 84%-91%); 2 RCSs investigating internal fixation in 47 patients found a pooled RTS rate of 97% (95% CI, 85%-99%), 5 RCSs in which autograft transplantation was performed in 194 patients found a pooled RTS rate of 90% (95% CI, 86%-94%), and 3 prospective case series on autologous chondrocyte implantation in 39 patients found a pooled RTS rate of 87% (95% CI, 73%-94%). The rate of return to preinjury level of sports was 79% (95% CI, 70%-85%) for 120 patients after bone marrow stimulation, 72% (95% CI, 60%-83%) for 67 patients after autograft transplantation, and 69% (95% CI, 54%-81%) for 39 patients after autologous chondrocyte implantation. The mean time to RTS ranged from 13 to 26 weeks, although no pooling was possible for this outcome measure. Conclusion: Different surgical treatment options for talar OCDs allow for adequate RTS times and rates. RTS rates decreased when considering patients’ return to preinjury levels versus return at any level

High incidence of (osteo)chondral lesions in ankle fractures

Purpose: To determine the incidence and location of osteochondral lesions (OCLs) following ankle fractures as well as to determine the association between fracture type and the presence of OCLs. Up to 50% of patients with ankle fractures that receive surgical treatment show suboptimal functional results with residual complaints at a long-term follow-up. This might be due to the presence of intra-articular osteochondral lesions (OCL). Methods: A literature search was carried out in PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, CDSR, DARE and CENTRAL to identify relevant studies. Two authors separately and independently screened the search results and conducted the quality assessment using the MINORS criteria. Available full-text clinical articles on ankle fractures published in English, Dutch and German were eligible for inclusion. Per fracture classification, the OCL incidence and location were extracted from the included articles. Where possible, OCL incidence per fracture classification (Danis–Weber and/or Lauge–Hansen classification) was calculated and pooled. Two-sided p values of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Twenty articles were included with a total of 1707 ankle fractures in 1707 patients. When focusing on ankle fractures that were assessed directly after the trauma, the OCL incidence was 45% (n = 1404). Furthermore, the most common location of an OCL following an ankle fractures was the talus (43% of all OCLs). A significant difference in OCL incidence was observed among Lauge–Hansen categories (p = 0.049). Post hoc pairwise comparisons between Lauge–Hansen categories (with adjusted significance level of 0.01) revealed no significant difference (n.s.). Conclusion: OCLs are frequently seen in patients with ankle fractures when assessed both directly after and at least 12 months after initial trauma (45–47%, respectively). Moreover, the vast majority of post-traumatic OCLs were located in the talus (42.7% of all OCLs). A higher incidence of OCLs was observed with rotational type fractures. The clinical relevance of the present systematic review is that it provides an overview of the incidence and location of OCLs in ankle fractures, hereby raising awareness to surgeons of these treatable concomitant injuries. As a result, this may improve the clinical outcomes when directly addressed during index surgery. Level of evidence: IV

The subchondral bone healing after fixation of an osteochondral talar defect is superior in comparison with microfracture

Arthroscopic bone marrow stimulation (BMS) has been considered the primary surgical treatment for osteochondral defects (OCDs) of the talus. However, fixation has been considered as a good alternative. Recently, a new arthroscopic fixation technique was described: the lift, drill, fill and fix procedure (LDFF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological results between arthroscopic LDFF and arthroscopic BMS in primary fixable talar OCDs at 1-year follow-up. In a prospective comparative study, 14 patients were treated with arthroscopic BMS and 14 patients with arthroscopic LDFF. Pre- and postoperative clinical assessment included the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and the numeric rating scales (NRSs) of pain at rest and running. Additionally, the level of the subchondral plate (flush or depressed) was analysed on the 1 year postoperative computed tomography scans. No significant differences in the AOFAS and NRS pain at rest and running were found between both groups at 1-year follow-up. After LDFF the level of the subchondral bone plate was flush in 10 patients and after BMS in three patients (p = 0.02). No clinical differences were found between arthroscopic LDFF and arthroscopic BMS in the treatment of talar OCDs at 1-year follow-up. However, the subchondral bone plate restores significantly superior after arthroscopic LDFF compared to arthroscopic BMS. It may therefore give less progression of ankle osteoarthritis in the future with a thus potential better long-term outcome. II

Prevalence of Rotational Malalignment After Intramedullary Nailing of Tibial Shaft Fractures: Can We Reliably Use the Contralateral Uninjured Side as the Reference Standard?

BACKGROUND: Intramedullary (IM) nailing is the treatment of choice for most tibial shaft fractures. However, an iatrogenic pitfall may be rotational malalignment. The aims of this retrospective analysis were to determine (1) the prevalence of rotational malalignment using postoperative computed tomography (CT) as the reference standard; (2) the average baseline tibial torsion of uninjured limbs; and (3) based on that normal torsion, whether the contralateral, uninjured limb can be reliably used as the reference standard. METHODS: The study included 154 patients (71% male and 29% female) with a median age of 37 years. All patients were treated for a unilateral tibial shaft fracture with an IM nail and underwent low-dose bilateral postoperative CT to assess rotational malalignment. RESULTS: More than one-third of the patients (n = 55; 36%) had postoperative rotational malalignment of ≥10°. Right-sided tibial shaft fractures were significantly more likely to display external rotational malalignment whereas left-sided fractures were predisposed to internal rotational malalignment. The uninjured right tibiae were an average of 4° more externally rotated than the left (mean rotation and standard deviation, 41.1° ± 8.0° [right] versus 37.0° ± 8.2° [left]; p < 0.01). Applying this 4° correction to our cohort not only reduced the prevalence of rotational malalignment (n = 45; 29%), it also equalized the distribution of internal and external rotational malalignment between the left and right tibiae. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms a high prevalence of rotational malalignment following IM nailing of tibial shaft fractures (36%). There was a preexisting 4° left-right difference in tibial torsion, which sheds a different light on previous studies and current clinical practice and could have important implications for the diagnosis and management of tibial rotational malalignment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence

Feasibility Study to Determine if Microfracture Surgery Using Water Jet Drilling Is Potentially Safe for Talar Chondral Defects in a Caprine Model

Objective: Surgical microfracture is considered a first-line treatment for talar osteochondral defects. However, current rigid awls and drills limit access to all locations in human joints and increase risk of heat necrosis of bone. Using a flexible water jet instrument to drill holes can improve the reachability of the defect without inducing thermal damage. The aim of this feasibility study is to determine whether water jet drilling is potentially safe compared with conventional microfracture awls by studying side effects and perioperative complications, as well as the quality of cartilage repair tissue. Design: Talar chondral defects with 6-mm diameter were created bilaterally in 6 goats (12 samples). One defect in each goat was treated with microfracture created with conventional awls, the contralateral defect was treated with holes created with 5-second water jet bursts at a pressure of 50 MPa. Postoperative complications were recorded and after 24 weeks analyses were performed using the ICRS (International Cartilage Repair Society) macroscopic score and modified O’Driscoll histological score. Results: Several practical issues using the water jet in the operating theatre were noted. Water jet drilling resulted in fibrocartilage repair tissue similar to the repair tissue from conventional awls. Conclusions: These results suggest that water jet drilling gives adequate fibrocartilage repair tissue. Furthermore, the results highlight essential prerequisites for safe application of surgical water jet drilling: stable water pressure, water jet beam coherence, stable positioning of the nozzle head when jetting, and minimizing excessive fluid extravasation

Total Elbow Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

Most total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) designs aim to replicate anatomy and provide stability in the treatment of the degenerative elbow joint. Given the promising results that have been reported following the use of TEA for the treatment of complex fractures, the indications for this procedure are growing. The objective of the present study was to review the most recent literature on the results of the most commonly performed TEAs. A comprehensive literature search was conducted. All relevant studies were reviewed according to a set of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. After the initial assessment, 2 authors extracted data from the included articles. Groups were created on the basis of the design of TEA implant, the type of implant (linked or unlinked), and the indication for treatment. Outcome parameters were survival rate, pain, range of motion, complications, and specific elbow outcome scores. Seventy-three articles involving a total of 9,379 TEAs were included. The level of evidence was primarily Level IV. Nineteen specific designs of TEA implants were described, including the Souter-Strathclyde (n = 2,387), Coonrad-Morrey (n = 1,586), Kudo (n = 560), and GSB III (n = 498). The most common indication for TEA was rheumatoid arthritis (70%). The weighted mean survival rate for the linked and unlinked prostheses was 85.5% at 7.8 years and 74% at 12.3 years, respectively. For the Coonrad-Morrey, Souter-Strathclyde, and GSB III, the weighted mean survival rate was 87.2% at 7.2 years, 70.6% at 14.2 years, and 81.7% at 9.5 years, respectively. The range of motion after TEA was good overall, with a mean flexion angle of 129° and a mean extension lag angle of 30°. The complication rates ranged from 11% to 38%, with clinical loosening being the most frequently reported complication (7%). The results of TEA are respectable overall. It appears that there are small differences between designs. However, despite the fairly good functional results and elbow scores, the survival and complication rates are still not as favorable as those following arthroplasties in other joints. Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidenc

Prevalence of Osteochondral Lesions in Rotational Type Ankle Fractures With Syndesmotic Injury

Background: The aim of this study was to report the incidence of associated osteochondral lesions (OCLs) on postop CTs, which may benefit from arthroscopic treatment, in patients with rotational type ankle fractures with syndesmotic injury. The diagnosis and treatment of associated OCLs may be an additional benefit of the use of arthroscopy in the management of rotational type ankle fractures with syndesmotic injury. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of a prospective cohort study of patients who underwent open reduction and surgical fixation of an ankle fracture with syndesmotic injury. These patients underwent routine bilateral postoperative CT assessment. Two independent observers classified ankle fractures according to Weber and OCLs according to the classification system by Berndt and Harty. Fifty-nine patients were included. There were 19 (32%) Weber B type ankle fractures and 39 (66%) Weber C type fractures. One patient (2%) had fixation for a medial malleolus fracture and syndesmotic rupture without fibula fracture. Results: Talar OCLs were present in 8 patients (14%). In one patient, 2 OCLs were found, which resulted in a total of 9 lesions. Two lesions were found on the medial side, both anterior. The other 7 were located laterally, of which 1 was anterior, 3 central, and 3 posterior on the talus. According to the Berndt and Harty classification, 1 was classified as stage I, 4 as stage III, and 4 as stage IV. Conclusion: The prevalence of OCLs in ankle fractures with syndesmotic instability was 14%. We believe that lesions were arthroscopically accessible in 6 patients (10%). Moreover, most lesions were located on the lateral dome, and thus also potentially approachable through an anterolateral arthrotomy during open reduction and internal fixation. The majority of OCLs found in this series were Berndt and Harty type III or IV, and so likely would preferably have been addressed during the index procedure. Level of Evidence: Level III, diagnostic cohort study

No superior treatment for primary osteochondral defects of the talus

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to detect the most effective treatment option for primary talar osteochondral defects in adults. A literature search was performed to identify studies published from January 1996 to February 2017 using PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, CDSR, DARE, and CENTRAL. Two authors separately and independently screened the search results and conducted the quality assessment using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Subsequently, success rates per separate study were calculated. Studies methodologically eligible for a simplified pooling method were combined. Fifty-two studies with 1236 primary talar osteochondral defects were included of which forty-one studies were retrospective and eleven prospective. Two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were identified. Heterogeneity concerning methodological nature was observed, and there was variety in reported success rates. A simplified pooling method performed for eleven retrospective case series including 317 ankles in the bone marrow stimulation group yielded a success rate of 82% [CI 78-86%]. For seven retrospective case series investigating an osteochondral autograft transfer system or an osteoperiosteal cylinder graft insertion with in total 78 included ankles the pooled success rate was calculated to be 77% [CI 66-85%]. For primary talar osteochondral defects, none of the treatment options showed any superiority over others. I

No superior surgical treatment for secondary osteochondral defects of the talus

The purpose of this systematic review was to identify the most effective surgical treatment for talar osteochondral defects after failed primary surgery. A literature search was conducted to find studies published from January 1996 till July 2016 using PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, CDSR, DARE and CENTRAL. Two authors screened the search results separately and conducted quality assessment independently using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Weighted success rates were calculated. Studies eligible for pooling were combined. Twenty-one studies with a total of 299 patients with 301 talar OCDs that failed primary surgery were investigated. Eight studies were retrospective case series, twelve were prospective case series and there was one randomized controlled trial. Calculated success percentages varied widely and ranged from 17 to 100%. Because of the low level of evidence and the scarce number of patients, no methodologically proper meta-analysis could be performed. A simplified pooling method resulted in a calculated mean success rate of 90% [CI 82-95%] for the osteochondral autograft transfer procedure, 65% [CI 46-81%] for mosaicplasty and 55% [CI 40-70%] for the osteochondral allograft transfer procedure. There was no significant difference between classic autologous chondrocyte implantation (success rate of 59% [CI 39-77%]) and matrix-associated chondrocyte implantation (success rate of 73% [CI 56-85%]). Multiple surgical treatments are used for talar OCDs after primary surgical failure. More invasive methods are administered in comparison with primary treatment. No methodologically proper meta-analysis could be performed because of the low level of evidence and the limited number of patients. It is therefore inappropriate to draw firm conclusions from the collected results. Besides an expected difference in outcome between the autograft transfer procedure and the more extensive procedures of mosaicplasty and the use of an allograft, neither a clear nor a significant difference between treatment options could be demonstrated. The need for sufficiently powered prospective investigations in a randomized comparative clinical setting remains high. This present systematic review can be used in order to inform patients about expected outcome of the different treatment methods used after failed primary surgery. I