Publications

Large osteochondritis dissecans lesion of the knee treated with “snowman” osteochondral allograft transplantation: a case report

Purpose:

To describe the use of a snowman osteochondral allograft construct for a large, unsalvageable osteochondritis dissecans lesion of the knee.

Summary:
A strong complex-case example showing how fresh allograft can be adapted to restore large OCD lesions while preserving the native joint.

Key Takeaways:

• This case report describes a large osteochondritis dissecans lesion treated with a stacked or 'snowman' osteochondral allograft construct when a standard plug was not sufficient.
• The report demonstrates the technical flexibility of fresh allograft in challenging lesions that require restoration of both surface contour and osseous support.
• It is particularly relevant for complex, unsalvageable OCD lesions where single-plug options may not fully address defect size or geometry.

Bibliography:

McMorrow KJ, Yazdi AA, Weissman AC, et al. Large osteochondritis dissecans lesion of the knee treated with "snowman" osteochondral allograft transplantation: a case report. J Cartilage Joint Preserv. 2025;5(1):100203. doi:10.1016/j.jcjp.2024.100203

Click here for the abstract.