The use of osteochondral allografts in the management of cartilage defects

Abstract

Large symptomatic osteochondral defects in a young active population represent a therapeutic challenge for orthopedic surgeons, since standard interventions such as debridement, microfracture and autologous osteochondral transfer are not suitable for the treatment of these larger lesions. Fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation provides a surgical option for these challenging defects, both as a primary procedure and for salvage of prior failed treatment attempts. This article reviews the basic science, indications, technique, and evidence for osteochondral allograft transplantation in the knee.

Fig. 1

Intra-operative image of two osteochondral plugs directly adjacent to each other. The patient is a 21-year-old male with osteonecrosis of the medial femoral condyle after high-dose steroid therapy for leukemia. The plugs are fixed with resorbable screws and pins