Lift, Drill, Fill and Fix (LDFF): A New Arthroscopic Treatment for Talar Osteochondral Defects
A new arthroscopic fixation technique known as lift, drill, fill and fix (LDFF) could be a good treatment option for patients suffering from primary osteochondral talar defects, a new study has found. The study involved seven patients who underwent a pre-operative clinical assessment and were followed-up with at an average of 12 months after being treated with the procedure. All patients experienced improvements in American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores, which rose from 63 before surgery to 99 at follow-up. Numeric rating scales (NRS) of pain at rest and during walking improved in all patients as well. NRS pain at rest scores dropped from 2.9 to 0.1, while pain during walking scores fell from 7.6 to 0.1. In addition, weight-bearing radiographs taken at follow-up showed that five patients experienced remodeling and bone ingrowth after the procedure. However, the study cautioned that research involving more patients and longer follow-up times is needed in order to draw any conclusions about the effectiveness of LDFF and whether the results of the procedure are lasting.
From the article of the same title
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy (05/01/14) Kerkhoffs, G. M. M. J.; Reilingh, M. L.; Gerards, R. M.; et al.
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00167-014-3057-7
