Chondral and osteochondral reconstruction of local ankle degeneration.

Abstract

Local cartilage or osteochondral degeneration of the ankle are common, painful posttraumatic conditions in young, sport-active patients. Conservative treatment of the acute initial stage of local cartilage or osteochondral damage might be indicated, but commonly fails in the presence of local or asymmetric osteoarthritic disease. Many surgical treatment methods are available for the orthopedic surgeon, which show satisfactory short-term to mid-term results. However, the scientific evidence for these procedures is weak. This article discusses the commonly used methods for cartilage and osteochondral repair and new upcoming methods, plus the role of concomitant disorders of the ankle joint.