--- title: "Unique tx of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular. | Sutter Health" description: "Tx of 3 cases of osteochondral lesions and degenerative changes of the tarsal navicular joint: microfracture of the lesions and arthrodiastasis." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/unique-tx-osteochondral-lesions-tarsal-navicular-1055312365" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Unique tx of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular. # A unique procedure for treatment of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular: three cases in athletes. Saxena A & Fullem BW. _J Foot Ankle Surg. 52(2):249-53. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2012.10.019. Epub 2013 Jan 10._ 2013-03-01 ## Abstract Surgery in the athlete can present unique challenges, particularly when articular damage and osteoarthritic changes are noted. To allow athletes to return to their desired activity level, an alternative to the traditional approach of fusion must be developed. We prospectively reviewed 3 cases of osteochondral lesions and degenerative changes of the tarsal navicular joint involving a unique surgical approach consisting of microfracture of the lesions with concomitant arthrodiastasis. All 3 patients were treated with a miniexternal fixator to provide distraction for 4 weeks. The patients were aged 15, 17, and 21 years, with follow-up ranging from 2 to 4 years, at which point each patient was competing at their desired activity level and pain free. Each patient was initially treated at different stages of a navicular injury with patient 3 having undergone 2 courses of casted non-weightbearing. This new treatment gives more options to a potentially athletic career-ending injury. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23312897) ## Research topics - [Child and Adolescent Health](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Child+and+Adolescent+Health%5C%22%22) - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Musculoskeletal Disorders](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Cuboid-navicular tarsal coalition: report of a small case series with description of a surgical approach for resection.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/cuboid-navicular-tarsal-coalition-resection-1055312374) Sarage AL, Gambardella GV, Fullem B, Saxena A, Caminear DS. J Foot Ankle Surg. 51(6):783-6. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2012.07.003. Epub 2012 Aug 1. 2012 Nov 01 - Publication ### [Naviculocuneiform coalition: case reports of two sibling soccer players.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/naviculocuneiform-coalition-2-sib-soccer-players-1055312396) Saxena A, Fournier M. J Foot Ankle Surg. pii: S1067-2516(15)00414-7. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2015.09.001. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2015 Oct 17 - Publication ### [Radial soundwave for sesamoidopathy in athletes: a pilot study.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/radial-soundwave-sesamoidopathy-athletes-1055312521) Saxena A, Yun A, Patel R, Gerdesmeyer L, Maffulli N. J Foot Ankle Surg. pii: S1067-2516(16)30186-7. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2016.07.024. \[Epub ahead of print\] Send to 2016 Sep 08 - Publication ### [Subtalar arthroereisis implant removal in adults: a prospective study of 100 patients.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/subtalar-arthroereisis-implant-removal-adults-1055312370) Saxena A, Via AG, Maffulli N, Chiu H. J Foot Ankle Surg. pii: S1067-2516(15)00577-3. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2015.12.005. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Feb 10 - Publication ### [Safe zone for placement of talar screws when fusing the ankle with an anterior plating system.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/place-talar-screws-ankle-fused-anterior-plating-1055312984) Haskell A, Dedini R, Dini M. Foot Ankle Int. 36(6):730-5. doi: 10.1177/1071100715571440. Epub 2015 Feb 9. 2015 Jun 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/unique-tx-osteochondral-lesions-tarsal-navicular-1055312365#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Unique tx of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/unique-tx-osteochondral-lesions-tarsal-navicular-1055312365#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"A unique procedure for treatment of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular: three cases in athletes.","headline":"Unique tx of osteochondral lesions of the tarsal navicular.","abstract":"Surgery in the athlete can present unique challenges, particularly when articular damage and osteoarthritic changes are noted. To allow athletes to return to their desired activity level, an alternative to the traditional approach of fusion must be developed. We prospectively reviewed 3 cases of osteochondral lesions and degenerative changes of the tarsal navicular joint involving a unique surgical approach consisting of microfracture of the lesions with concomitant arthrodiastasis. All 3 patients were treated with a miniexternal fixator to provide distraction for 4 weeks. The patients were aged 15, 17, and 21 years, with follow-up ranging from 2 to 4 years, at which point each patient was competing at their desired activity level and pain free. Each patient was initially treated at different stages of a navicular injury with patient 3 having undergone 2 courses of casted non-weightbearing. This new treatment gives more options to a potentially athletic career-ending injury.","description":"Tx of 3 cases of osteochondral lesions and degenerative changes of the tarsal navicular joint: microfracture of the lesions and arthrodiastasis.","keywords":["Child and Adolescent Health","Disease Management","Musculoskeletal Disorders"],"datePublished":"2013-03-01","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/unique-tx-osteochondral-lesions-tarsal-navicular-1055312365","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"23312897"},{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"DOI","value":"10.1053/j.jfas.2012.10.019"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23312897/","https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2012.10.019"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"J Foot Ankle Surg"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Saxena A"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Fullem BW"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Child and Adolescent Health","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Child+and+Adolescent+Health%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Disease Management","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Disease+Management%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Musculoskeletal Disorders","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Musculoskeletal+Disorders%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/unique-tx-osteochondral-lesions-tarsal-navicular-1055312365","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/unique-tx-osteochondral-lesions-tarsal-navicular-1055312365#breadcrumblist"}}} ```