Vascularized Bone Autograft for the Treatment of Chondroblastoma of the Talus at Imminent Risk of Joint Breakdown: Three Case Reports

Surgical treatment options in a chondroblastoma of the talus breaching the subchondral layer with imminent risk of talar collapse in the weightbearing area are limited. A joint-preserving surgery should be advocated. Because current treatment options such as curettage, cryosurgery, or radiofrequency ablation may not be able to prevent a talar dome breakdown in large defects, nonvascularized bone grafting has been advocated to fill the void. To overcome the lack of vitality, a vascularized bone autograft might be an attractive alternative. We present 3 cases where a large talar defect owing to a chondroblastoma was treated with a vascularized bone autograft. In 1 of the cases, a free microvascular iliac crest bone graft was used, whereas in the other 2 cases, a vascularized graft was harvested from the medial femoral condyle. Computed tomographic scans demonstrated a stable incorporation of the graft in all cases. All patients were highly satisfied with the obtained results and showed a clinical functional outcome similar to the contralateral foot after 36, 60, and 72 months. At the latest radiographic follow-up, no evidence of recurrence was observed. In conclusion, a free vascularized bone autograft can be used to treat a large talar defect owing to chondroblastoma in young patients.