RESEARCH & ARTICLES

Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Isolated Patellar Cartilage Injury

Purpose: To determine the functional outcomes and survivorship of using osteochondral allografts (OCA) in patients with patellar cartilage injuries.

Summary:

  • Treating large and complex lesions present on the patella is challenging due to the anatomical area. If they are left untreated, lesions will worsen over time and may progress to arthritis
  • Patients in this study who retained their allograft after transplantation had significant improvement in pain and knee function
  • Overall survivorship of the patellar allograft was 78.1% at 5 and 10 years for the 28 knees receiving transplantation
  • Past studies have shown that survivorship of OCAs used to treat lesions in the femoral condyle ranges from 84.5% to 95% at five years. It is thought that the inferior survivorship results of the patella allografts may be due to the challenge associated with the anatomical area.

Take Away: The treatment of patellar cartilage injuries remains a difficult clinical challenge with relatively high reoperation and revision rates. OCA transplantation was successful in the majority of cartilage injuries of the patella requiring major patellar resurfacing.

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Gracitelli, Guilherme C., MD, Gokhan Meric, MD, Pamela A. Pulido, MD, Simon Görtz, MD, Allison J. De Young, MPA, PA-C, and William D. Bugbee, MD. "Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Isolated Patellar Cartilage Injury." Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Isolated Patellar Cartilage Injury. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 16 Jan. 2015. Web. 14 Apr. 2015.