Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of adjustable external fixation traction combined with arthroscopic microfracture in the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the data of 27 OLT patients who had been treated at Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital from May 2017 to March 2022. There were 16 males and 11 females, aged (32.4±7.2) years. Lesion site: 23 medial and 4 lateral cases; Hepple staging: 7 cases at stage Ⅰ, 15 cases at stage Ⅱ, and 5 cases at stage Ⅲ; disease duration: (10.6±3.3) months. All the patients were treated by adjustable external fixation traction combined with arthroscopic microfracture. Recorded were the patients' visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scores at 6 months and 12 months after surgery, levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor- α (TNF- α) at 1 month after surgery, lesion area at 12 months after surgery, and incidence of complications. Results:The follow-up time for this cohort was (16.2±6.7) months. The AOFAS score was (61.52±6.75) points before surgery, (84.15±5.56) points at 6 months after surgery and (95.67±4.30) points at 12 months after surgery. The VAS score was (5.88±1.02) points before surgery, (2.12±0.48) points at 6 months after surgery and (0.66±0.36) points at 12 months after surgery. The two-by-two comparisons between the 3 time points for the above items were statistically significant ( P<0.05). IL-1 was (32.37±6.64) pg/mL, IL-6 (34.04±7.12) pg/mL, and TNF- α (17.89±4.96) ng/L at 1 month after surgery in the 27 patients, all of which were significantly lower than their preoperative levels [(96.63±14.80) pg/mL, (102.33±20.42) pg/mL, and (54.48±9.33) ng/L] ( P<0.05). The lesion area was (28.66±6.52) mm 2 at 12 months after surgery, significantly smaller than the value before surgery [(128.52±11.32) mm 2] ( P<0.05). Infection at the adjustable external fixation needle track occurred in 1 patient and lower limb thrombosis in 2 patients. Conclusion:In the treatment of OLT, adjustable external fixation and traction combined with arthroscopic microfracture can achieve satisfactory results and improve symptoms for the patients.