Non-Surgical Intervention for Talar OCL
This page represents a partial list of the diverse non-surgical approaches used for treatment. Inclusion on this page does not represent endorsement of any approach.
Corticosteroid Injections
Corticosteroid injections are a common treatment for joint pain that has not responded to more conservative treatments such as rest and oral NSAIDs. Injection of corticosteroids into joints can result in substantially decreased inflammation and pain lasting for weeks to months. Concerns are sometimes expressed that repeated injections might inhibit beneficial healing effects associated with inflammation, and possibly be damaging to articular cartilage.
Bibliography:
Ochoa, J. K., Gross, C. E., Anderson, R. B., & Hsu, A. R. (2022). Foot and ankle injections in athletes. Sports Health, 14(3), 311-316.
Tejero, S., Prada-Chamorro, E., González-Martín, D., García-Guirao, A., Galhoum, A., Valderrabano, V., & Herrera-Pérez, M. (2021). Conservative Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(19), 4561.
Image Credit: Ed (Edgar181), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Platelet-Rich Plasma
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is a blood component derived from processing a sample of an individual’s blood. In PRP therapy, blood is drawn from an individual, centrifuged to concentrate platelets, and the sample is then reintroduced into a specific location in the body (for example injected into a joint).
Platelets are a special type of fragmented cell found in blood, contain a variety of growth factors and cytokines (cell-signaling molecules) and are important to wound healing. Introducing a high concentration of platelets (and other plasma components) to a specific site in the body may therefore stimulate local tissue regeneration.
PRP therapy has come to be used frequently in orthopedics, including for treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus. In addition to being used as an injection into joints, PRP has also sometimes been combined with surgical approaches for talar OCL, with the PRP being applied directly to the site of the lesion during surgery along with microfracture or other procedures.
Bibliography:
Ochoa, J. K., Gross, C. E., Anderson, R. B., & Hsu, A. R. (2022). Foot and ankle injections in athletes. Sports Health, 14(3), 311-316.
Tejero, S., Prada-Chamorro, E., González-Martín, D., García-Guirao, A., Galhoum, A., Valderrabano, V., & Herrera-Pérez, M. (2021). Conservative Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(19), 4561.
Yausep, O. E., Madhi, I., & Trigkilidas, D. (2020). Platelet rich plasma for treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus: a systematic review of clinical trials. Journal of Orthopaedics, 18, 218-225.
Photo Credit: KimLantz, CC BY-SA 4.0