Avulsion fracture is associated with more pain after anatomic repair procedure for ATFL injury at the talar side.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of anatomic repair procedure for chronic anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) injury at the talar side, and to compare the outcomes between patients with and without concomitant avulsion fractures. It was hypothesized that anatomic repair procedure could produce similarly satisfactory outcomes for those two groups. METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients with chronic ATFL injuries at the talar side who underwent anatomic repair procedure at the department of sports medicine at Peking University Third Hospital between 2013 and 2018, were retrospectively evaluated. The pain visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Tegner score, and Foot & Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) were recorded as the primary outcomes. Time to return to sports (RTS), surgical satisfaction, deficiency of ankle range of motion (ROM), recurrent sprain, and postoperative complications were recorded as the secondary outcomes. Outcomes were compared between patients with (Group A, 16 cases) and without (Group B, 23 cases) concomitant avulsion fractures. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 79.4 ± 17.0 and 76.6 ± 18.5 months for Group A and B, respectively. VAS, AOFAS, Tegner, FAOS, and all subscale scores of FAOS were significantly improved in both groups at the final follow up. Patients in group A had inferior postoperative VAS, AOFAS, FAOS, and pain score of FAOS compared to group B (1.1 ± 1.1 vs. 0.4 ± 0.5, 89.1 ± 10.1 vs. 95.2 ± 5.2, 87.2 ± 7.2 vs. 91.5 ± 4.1, and 88.4 ± 11.3 vs. 96.7 ± 3.5, respectively).The mean time to RTS, rate of satisfaction and recurrent sprain had no significant differences between group A and B (6.1 ± 2.8, 93.8%, and 18.8% vs. 5.2 ± 2.2, 100.0%, and 13.0%, respectively), and the rate of ROM deficiency was significantly higher in group A (37.5 vs. 8.7%). Avulsion fracture was identified as an independent risk factor for inferior pain score of FAOS. CONCLUSION: Anatomic repair procedure for chronic ATFL injuries at the talar side produces favourable results for patients with and without avulsion fractures at 5 to 10 years follow-up, however, avulsion fracture is associated with more pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Treatment of Symptomatic Subfibular Ossicle by Excision and Modified Broström Procedure for Skeletally Immature Patients.

BACKGROUND: Ossicle resection combined with ligament repair using the modified Broström procedure (MBP) is generally associated with favorable results in adults with symptomatic subfibular ossicles; however, the surgical results of this approach in skeletally immature patients remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the midterm clinical outcomes and radiographic outcomes including leg length and physeal growth of skeletally immature patients after this procedure. METHODS: Twenty-six consecutive skeletally immature patients who underwent ossicle resection combined with the MBP were retrospectively evaluated. Clinical scores were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, Karlsson-Peterson score, and Tegner score. The talocrural angle, fibular length on radiographs, and tape-measured leg length between the 2 ankles were also measured at the final follow-up. Time of return to sports and postoperative complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: Fourteen girls (53.8%) and 12 boys (46.2%) had surgery at a mean age of 12.7±2.4 years. Mean postoperative follow-up time was 40.0±10.8 months. Mean VAS pain score improved from 4.1 preoperatively to 0.5 at final follow-up (P < .05). Mean AOFAS score, Karlsson score, and Tegner score all improved from 62.0, 54.0, and 2.8 preoperatively to 95.5, 94.0, and 5.4 (P < .05), respectively, at final follow-up. Median time of return to sports was 17.0 weeks. Mean talocrural angle, fibular length, and tape-measured leg length of the injured ankle were not significantly different from those of the contra-side at the final follow-up. All patients were satisfied with the results; repeat ligamentous injury occurred in 2 patients (7.7%). We had no cases of wound infection, nerve injury, compartment syndrome, or any other complications. CONCLUSION: Ossicle resection combined with the MBP performed in skeletally immature patients with symptomatic subfibular ossicles resulted in improved clinical outcomes without disruption of fibular physeal growth by an average of 3.3-year follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series.

Comparison of Autologous Osteoperiosteal and Osteochondral Transplantation for the Treatment of Large, Medial Cystic Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus.

BACKGROUND: Autologous osteoperiosteal transplantation (AOPT) using graft harvested from the iliac crest is used to treat large cystic osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs). However, no studies have compared clinical and radiologic outcomes between AOPT and autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOCT) using graft harvested from the nonweightbearing zone of the femoral condyle of the ipsilateral knee in patients with large cystic OLTs. PURPOSE: To compare clinical and radiologic outcomes between patients undergoing AOPT and those undergoing AOCT for large cystic OLTs. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Between March 2015 and March 2018, patients who underwent AOCT and AOPT to treat medial large cystic OLTs (>10 mm) were retrospectively evaluated. For comparability, the 2 groups were matched 1:1 based on their characteristics, including sex, age, body mass index, side of injury, follow-up period, and the preoperative cyst volume. After propensity score matching, 23 patients were enrolled in each group for the analysis. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS), the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and the Tegner score. Donor-site morbidity was recorded according to the symptoms, including pain, stiffness, swelling, and discomfort. In addition, the Lysholm score was used to assess the most common knee donor-site morbidity. Radiologic outcomes were evaluated using the magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score, and the International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society (ICRS) score was obtained during second-look surgery. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was about 48 months. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics and lesion volumes between groups. Postoperative ankle pain VAS score, AOFAS score, and Tegner score were not significantly different between groups at final follow-up. Total donor-site morbidity (P = .004) and discomfort morbidity (P = .009) were significantly lower in the AOPT group than in the AOCT group. However, the Lysholm score showed no significant difference between the donor knee and the opposite knee (P = .503) in the AOCT group. The MOCART and ICRS scores were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: Clinical and radiologic outcomes of patients who underwent AOPT from the iliac crest were found to be comparable with those of patients who underwent AOCT from the ipsilateral knee for the treatment of medial large cystic OLTs. These results may be helpful for orthopaedic surgeons to decide appropriate treatments for patients with large cystic OLTs.