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Updated: Jul 27, 2025

Autologous Microfractured and Purified Adipose Tissue for Arthroscopic Management of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus
Published on: January 23, 2018
Subchondral bone cysts remodel after correction of varus deformity in ankle arthritis
Shu Zhang1, Chao Sun1, Jianzhong Zhang1
1Foot and Ankle Surgery Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Background:
Subchondral bone cysts (SBCs) of the talus are frequently observed in ankle osteoarthritis (OA). It is unclear whether the cysts need direct treatment after correction of the varus deformity in ankle OA. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of SBCs and the change after supramalleolar osteotomy (SMOT).
Methods:
Thirty-one patients treated by SMOT were retrospectively reviewed, and 11 ankles had cysts preoperatively. After SMOT without management of the cysts, the evolution of cysts was evaluated on weightbearing computerized tomography (WBCT). The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) clinical ankle-hindfoot scale and a visual analog scale (VAS) were compared.
Results:
At baseline, the average cyst volume was 65.86 ± 60.53 mm3. The number and volume of cysts were reduced dramatically (P<.05), and the cysts vanished in 6 ankles after the SMOT. The VAS and AOFAS scores improved significantly after SMOT (P<.001), there was no significant difference between ankles with cysts and without cysts.
Conclusions:
The SMOT alone without direct treatment of the SBCs led to a decrease in the number and volume of SBCs in varus ankle OA.
Level Of Evidence:
Level IV, case series.
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