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Osteochondritis dissecans of the talus

Wha is it?

Osteochondritis disecans of the talus (the bone in the foot that , together with the tibia, forms the ankle joint) is a lesion of the cartilae / bone (osteochondritis). The affected tissue can die and break off into the  joint (dissection)..

Causes

These injuries are often caused by repetitive trauma to the ankle of the growing youngster (most tipically, ankle sprains). However, sometines no apparent cause can be found.

 Symptoms

Pain after physical activity; swelling, clicking or locking of the joint.

Treatment

Treatment depens on the size of the fragment and its degree of stability (likelihood of becoming "loose" in the joint, leading to osteoarthritis over time). If necessary, arthroscopic surgery is carried out whereby unstable fragments are fixed, and platelet-rich plasma is applied to stimulate the regeneration of bone and cartilage.