Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation in the Patellofemoral Joint: A Systematic Review
Damage to the cartilage on the back side of the patella and the groove it runs in, typically called a patellofemoral osteochondral lesion by orthopedic surgeons, is seen in about 1/3 of patients getting an arthroscopic knee surgery and can be a significant cause of pain and disfunction in the knee. Treating these lesions is difficult due to the anatomy and biomechanics of the patella, but one common surgical procedure called an Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation (OCA) is sometimes used to treat this cartilage damage. To determine how well this specific procedure is working, the authors sorted through the available literature and found all the relevant papers that reported clinical outcomes and failure rates after OCA surgeries. All together they found 8 studies that included a total 129 patients and used the results of these studies to make a better conclusion about the OCA surgery. Overall, they found that the OCA surgery results in improved patient reported outcomes and satisfaction rates, and also determined that the surgery kept providing relief for 77% of people 10 years afterwards. This data helps orthopedic surgeons understand how well this surgical treatment option does for patients’ years after their surgery.