Ankle osteochondral lesions Towards a personalized evidence-based treatment approach

Osteochondral lesions (OCL) of the ankle are focal lesions of the articular cartilage and the underlying bone. Patients typically present with (deep) ankle pain, which impacts their physical activities and quality of life. The treatment of ankle OCLs lacks consensus, but there is a shift towards an individualized treatment approach which incorporates patient- and lesion factors in decision making.
This thesis aims to improve the evidence-based treatment algorithm for patients with an OCL of the ankle by evaluating existing treatment strategies and aimed to identifying factors for patient selection. The focus of this thesis was on bone marrow stimulation and fixation for OLT, and the treatment of OLTP.