Arthroscopic treatment of osteochondritis dissecans of the talus.

We report on a retrospective study of 33 patients who underwent arthroscopic treatment for osteochondritis dissecans of the talus. Twenty-eight of the patients (85%) had a history of mild to moderate trauma. Arthroscopic treatment consisted of removal of the osteocartilaginous fragments, debridement of disrupted cartilage, and abrasion of the base to bleeding subchondral bone. The average duration of follow-up was 7.4 years with a range of 2 to 18.3 years. Follow-up showed statistically significant improvement in terms of pain, swelling, stiffness, limp, and activity level.