The Use of Osteochondral Grafts to Repair Osteochondral Injuries of the Foot and Ankle

by Lawrence Oloff, DPM
Professor in the Department of Surgery
California College of Podiatric Medicine

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Prepare to enter the new frontier!!  Osteochondral grafting is an exciting new treatment alternative designed to preserve joints and hopefully prevent joint destructive operations. 

The diagnosis of these lesions is typically made by clinical exam and cross sectional imaging studies.  Treatment alternatives include joint immobilization, primary repair with internal fixation, and excision/debridement.

For the young, active patient with a small focal lesion, osteochondral grafting is a viable alternative.  Ninety percent good to excellent results have been reported in properly selected patients.   Originally designed for the knee, the procedure has shown promise in osteochondral lesions of the talar head.  Although considered uncharted territory, applications in the first MPJ are showing promise as well, as you can see demonstrated in the slide above.

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