Osteochondral lesions of the talus in a sports medicine clinic. A new radiographic technique and surgical approach.

A retrospective review of 11 patients seen at the University of British Columbia Sports Medicine Clinic with osteochondral lesions of the talus was undertaken. From our data, a number of points became apparent. There was a predominance of posteromedial talar dome lesions. A flexion-inversion ankle injury could be documented in the majority of cases. There was frequently a long delay in diagnosing these ankle sprain mimics. Historical details which should raise one's index of suspicion include: (1) history of flexion-inversion injury; (2) exercise-related ankle pain; (3) sensations of "clicking and catching"; and (4) persistent swelling. Surgery produced consistently good early results in these active patients without osteotomizing the medial malleolus. Experimental analysis and clinical experience suggest that the optimal radiographic technique for identifying the posteromedial osteochondral lesion consists of an anteroposterior view of the ankle in maximum plantar flexion with the kilovoltage set at 70.