Treatment of symptomatic calcaneal lipoma with osseoscopy using a synthetic allograft

Objective: This study evaluated the results of symptomatic calcaneal lipoma patients treated with a recently introduced minimally invasive arthroscopic method.Materials and methods: Seven patients treated with osseoscopy in our clinic for calcaneal lipoma between 2013 and 2018 were evaluated. The median age of the patients was 37.7 years and five were male. The common compliant of the patients was pain that partially disrupted daily life. Surgery was utilized for patients who did not respond to conservative methods (sports restriction, partial weight bearing, and heel support) had persistent pain longer than 3 months and had a risk of impending fracture (>30% loss in trabecular bones).Results: The mean follow-up period after surgery was 21 (12–33) months. In all patients, the location of the ICL was in Ward’s triangle and the mean size was 28.8 (20-43) mm. According to Milgram’s classification, three ICLs were stage I, two were stage II, and two were stage III. The radiological result was evaluated using the classification system of Glutting and Chang. There was no persistent cyst and no recurrence. The radiological success rate was 100%. The mean ankle-hindfoot scale score (max. 100 pts) increased from a preoperative 74.7 ± 5.3 points (range: 69–83) to a postoperative 96.7 ± 2.62 points (range: 93-100).Conclusions: In the treatment of calcaneal lipoma, treatment with osseoscopy is easy and fast, has low complication rates, and is a cosmetically desirable alternative. The use of synthetic allografts to fill the cavity is a safe, inexpensive, and easy alternative.