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Comparison of magnesium versus titanium screw fixation for biplane chevron medial malleolar osteotomy in the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus

  • Original Article • ANKLE - BIOMATERIAL
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European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This retrospective study aimed to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of patients who underwent biplane chevron medial malleolar osteotomy (MMO) for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT), fixed with either magnesium (Mg) or titanium (Ti) screws.

Methods

A total of 22 patients (12 male and 10 female) with a mean age of 40.6 ± 12.5 years (range 18–56 years) who underwent MMO for OLT treatment were included in this retrospective study. Of the 22 patients, MMO was fixed with bioabsorbable Mg screws (Alloy: MgYREZr) in 11 patients, and in the remaining 11 patients (one bilateral) MMO was fixed with Ti screws. All patients were followed up for at least 1 year with a mean of 20.7 ± 8.9 months (range 12–49 months). The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale and the visual analog scale (VAS) were used to evaluate the clinical results. Union of the osteotomy, postoperative displacement and all other complications were followed and analyzed.

Results

An improvement in the AOFAS scale and VAS points were recorded in both groups with no statistically significant difference between the groups (p 0.079 and 0.107, respectively). Complete union of the osteotomy was obtained in all patients. One patient in the Ti group required implant removal due to pain and irritation. There were no other significant complications in either group.

Conclusions

The results of this study showed that bioabsorbable Mg compression screws have similar therapeutic efficacy to Ti screws in respect of functional and radiological outcomes in MMO fixation. Bioabsorbable Mg screw is an alternative fixation material which can be safely used for MMO in ankle surgery.

Level of evidence

Level IV, retrospective case series.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Soğuksu mah. Kazım Karabekir cd., Muratpaşa, 07100, Antalya, Turkey

    Baver Acar, Ozkan Kose, Melih Unal, Adil Turan, Yusuf Alper Kati & Ferhat Guler

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  1. Baver Acar
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  2. Ozkan Kose
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  3. Melih Unal
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  4. Adil Turan
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  6. Ferhat Guler
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Correspondence to Ozkan Kose.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. IRB approved the study protocol.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Acar, B., Kose, O., Unal, M. et al. Comparison of magnesium versus titanium screw fixation for biplane chevron medial malleolar osteotomy in the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 30, 163–173 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-019-02524-1

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