AMIC Procedure for Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions of Talus-A Systematic Review of the Current Literature

Osteochondral lesions of talus are a common injury where surgery is indicated in case of failed non-operative treatment or displaced lesions. Many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of the AMIC procedure. The goal of our study is to create an overview of the current literature. A systematic search adhering to the PRISMA guidelines was conducted in PubMed (MEDLINE) and EMBASE on May 27, 2020. All included studies were evaluated according to the modified Coleman Methodology Score and information on study type, patient numbers, age, follow-up period, grade, location and size of the lesion, study in- and exclusion criteria, associated surgery, surgical technique, scaffold- and fixation technique, postoperative restrictions, reoperation rates, study outcome score, rehabilitation program, and surgical complications was extracted. Ninety-six studies were identified with 18 studies being included in our analysis. The overall quality of the literature was fair with no studies being graded as excellent. Data on preoperative evaluation and surgical technique, complication and reoperation rates, postoperative management and study outcome was extracted in order to create an overview of the current literature. The literature supports the use of the AMIC procedure as an effective treatment for osteochondral lesions of talus. Great heterogeneity exists and comparative studies are missing. While the number of studies on the topic is increasing further are needed and especially with optimized design.