Partial and total ankle allografts

INTRODUCTION: Osteochondral lesions of the ankle joint still represents a challenge for orthopedic surgeons. In recent years, biological treatment solutions such as osteochondral allograft transplantation have been proposed. The aim of this review article is to report about current concepts and results of partial and total allograft in the ankle joint. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: All studies published in PubMed from 2000 to September 2020 regarding partial and total ankle allografts in the ankle joint were identified, considering the following criteria: level I-IV evidence addressing the areas of interest outlined above; measures of functional, clinical, or imaging outcome; and outcome related to ankle cartilage lesions or ankle arthritis treated by allografts. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: The number of selected articles was 21; 11 of those focused on partial allografts and 10 on bipolar fresh osteochondral allografts. All papers presented are case series. CONCLUSIONS: Osteochondral allograft in the ankle joint represent a concrete option to repair major osteochondral defects. Despite the literature showed interesting findings, many controversies remain regarding the use of total ankle allograft transplantations and their superiority compared to standard techniques