RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Bone marrow oedema (BMO) is a multifactorial condition. The conservative treatment options include immobilisation of the affected region and systemic intravenous iloprost therapy. Whereas many studies confirm the positive effect of iloprost therapy in larger joints, e.g. knee and hip, there have been few studies of BMO in smaller areas such as the ankle joint or midfoot. The purpose of this study is to show that treatment with iloprost leads to positive long-term outcomes for BMO of the foot and ankle. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with BMO of the ankle joint or midfoot, Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) stages 1-2, were included in this study. A questionnaire was used to record the Ankle-hindfoot, Kaikkonen, SF-36 and VAS scores before and after iloprost therapy. In addition, all patients underwent MRI for radiological follow-up monitoring 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: A significant improvement in function based on the ankle-hindfoot and Kaikkonen scale was demonstrated after iloprost therapy. In 22 patients, follow-up MRI after 3 months showed complete regression of the oedema. CONCLUSION: Based on the positive results of our study, we recommend treatment with iloprost for BMO of the upper ankle joint and foot at ARCO stages 1-2.
