Metatarsal Osteoperiostic Grafting From the Iliac Crest (MetOPIC) to the Second Metatarsal Head for the Treatment of Freiberg’s Disease: A Case Report

Freiberg’s disease is a condition characterized by progressive flattening and eventual collapse of a metatarsal head. Core decompression, metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) debridement, metatarsal osteotomies, autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT), interpositional arthroplasties, and synthetic implant hemiarthroplasties comprise the surgical management options for patients with Freiberg’s disease. Although autografts harvested from the iliac crest have been utilized for the treatment of various osteochondral pathologies of the lower extremity, their use for Freiberg’s disease has not been reported to date. We present the case of a novel technique of metatarsal osteoperiostic grafting from the iliac crest (MetOPIC) to the second metatarsal head with injection of concentrated bone marrow aspirate (cBMA) in a 28-year-old former collegiate cheerleader with a longstanding history of chronic pain due to Freiberg’s disease. The patient was able to return to her normal activities and participate in sporting activity 8 weeks following the operation. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of the use of the MetOPIC procedure to surgically correct Freiberg’s disease. Levels of Evidence: V, Case report