ChondroFiller Application for Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus: Case Series and Surgical Technique

Aim and background: A number of techniques and procedures are continuously evolving for the surgical management of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). Our aim is to share our experience of ChondroFiller liquid application in the osteochondral lesions, describe the surgical technique of its application specific to the talar lesions, and present a review of the literature. Methods: ChondroFiller liquid (Meidrix Biomedicals, Germany) is a cell-free chondro-conductive collagen matrix made of native type I collagen extracted from rat tail tendon. We used ChondroFiller for osteochondral defects in the knee and ankle and prospectively followed up the patients over a period of 18 months (December 2022–June 2023). In the knee, ChondroFiller was used for lesions up to 15 mm in size, and in the OLT, up to 12 mm. All of them were done by the dry arthroscopy method using carbon dioxide (CO₂) at the time of ChondroFiller application. Results: A significant improvement was noticed in the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective knee evaluation form (IKDC) scores for the knee and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores for the ankle in the short term. The mean follow-up for the knees was 6 months (range 3–17 months), and the average follow-up for the ankles was 7 months (4–11 months). This paper aims to describe the method of application and short-term outcomes with the use of ChondroFiller specific to osteochondral lesions of the talus. Conclusion: ChondroFiller is very easy to use, and our short-term results are satisfactory. Short-term and medium-term clinical results are satisfactory in the literature. However, long-term outcome studies and randomized controlled studies are needed to establish its efficacy in managing osteochondral lesions of the talus. Clinical significance: The current literature on the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus is diverse and has shown variable results. We provide an insight into the surgical technique of using ChondroFiller liquid, which is a novel and innovative approach in the treatment of OLT.