kirschner wire in the fixation of knee osteochondral lesions

Background: the use of metal screws for the fixation of knee osteochondral lesions requires a second surgery for screw removal. however, bioabsorbable screws are expensive and not widely available in many orthopedic centers. objectives: this study aims to determine the outcomes of kirschner wire (k-wire) fixation in such lesions, which are easily removable and widely available in most orthopedic centers.methods: the medical profiles of 15 patients with knee osteochondral lesions managed with k-wire fixation were retrospectively reviewed. the etiology of the lesion was osteochondritis dissecans in seven patients, femoral condyle fracture in four, and osteochondral lesion of the patella in four. functional outcomes were evaluated using the knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (koos), international knee documentation committee (ikdc) score, and lysholm knee scoring scale. postoperative complications were derived from patient profiles.results: the study population included nine males and six females, averaging 16.2±3.2 years. the patients had a mean follow-up of 27.9±21.9 months. the patients’ mean koos was 95.7±5.5. the mean ikdc score was 95.9±8.3. the mean lysholm knee score was 96.7±4.9. accordingly, knee function was excellent in 11 patients and good in four. nonunion was observed in one patient (6.7%) who required reoperation. one patient underwent manipulation under anesthesia. conclusion: k-wire fixation provides acceptable results for managing knee osteochondral lesions and can be considered an adequate substitute for conventional methods.