Anatomical and demographic findings in symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the talus

Purpose: Talar osteochondral defects involve damage to both the chondral surface and the underlying subchondral bone tissue. The primary etiological factors are thought to be major trauma or repetitive microtrauma. Clinically, patients often report ankle pain, swelling, and restricted joint mobility, particularly after prolonged standing or physical activity. This study aims to examine the demographic characteristics of patients who were diagnosed and treated for talar osteochondral lesions presenting with symptoms at our medical center. Materials and methods: A retrospective evaluation was conducted on patients diagnosed with osteochondral lesions of the talus, who had been examined and managed by a specialized foot and ankle surgeon within the orthopedic and traumatology department of an university hospital over the past five years. Key parameters recorded included the patients’ age, sex, the laterality of the affected ankle (right or left), and the precise anatomical location of the osteochondral lesion, distinguishing between medial and lateral involvement of the talar dome. Results: This study included a total of 42 patients, with 27 being female and 15 male. The age distribution of the study cohort spanned from 18 to 70 years, with an average age calculated at 46 years. In terms of lesion localization, 36 cases were located on the medial talus, while 6 were found on the lateral aspect. Statistical analysis revealed a significant tendency for osteochondral lesions to occur on the medial side of the talus (p=1.87x10-¹¹). When assessing the affected ankle, 24 cases involved the left ankle, while 18 were in the right ankle. However, there was no statistically significant difference in laterality (p=0.175). Conclusion: Talar osteochondral defect is a condition that affecting both chondral and subchondral tissue, appear to be more frequently located medially in symptomatic patients and tend to be more common in females.