BACKGROUND Curettage of benign tumours commonly results in significant bone defects that are reconstructed with autologous grafts, allografts, bone cement or bone substitute. We have treated such defects in the talus without reconstruction with bone or any other material. We now report the healing of these ungrafted defects in eight patients treated with curettage for benign talar tumours. METHODS Eight consecutive patients were reviewed retrospectively at a mean follow-up of 82 months (range: 28-180 months). Mean age was 21.7 years (range: 12.3-31.3 years) and mean defect size was 16.5 cm(3) (range: 3.5-48 cm(3)). Outcome measures included time to radiological consolidation, ankle pain and stiffness, talar collapse, and tibiotalar joint osteoarthritis. RESULTS Full consolidation of the defect occurred within 6-12 months in all patients. One patient had minor discomfort over the scar, but there was no ankle joint pain. Two patients had some ankle stiffness, although one had established ankle osteoarthritis prior to surgery. No talar collapse, fracture or new significant osteoarthritis of the ankle was observed. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that bone grafting is not a necessary adjunct to the curettage of talar lesions.