Abstract

Five patients with a large defect in the articular cartilage at the knee joint were treated by transplantation of an autogenic osteochondral fragment. The graft was harvested from the posterior portion of the ipsilateral femoral condyle in 4 cases of osteochondritis dissecans, and from the lateral third of the patella pedicled on the patellar ligament in one case of posttraumatic necrotic collapse of the lateral tibial plateau. One patient underwent concomitant high tibial osteotomy. Two months postoperatively bony union was achieved in all cases but in one case, the grafted articular cartilage did not survive after weight bearing because of an overlooked varus deformity. At the follow-up examination (8 to 20 years) all 5 patients were asymptomatic ; the range of flexion was somewhat restricted (120 degrees) ; roentgenogram revealed slight narrowing of the articular space or at least flattening of the grafted zone and subchondral osteosclerosis. At arthroscopic exploration, the grafted zones were recognizable from the surrounding cartilage, and histologic examination of their border revealed fibrocartilage and proliferating vessels; late gonarthrosis might ensue over time. Therefore the procedure should be performed only in large osteochondral defects where neither reattachment of a loose body, nor hemiarthroplasty, nor isolated osteotomy are suitable and before degenerative changes have developed. Morever any associated varus deformity requires concomitant correction by high tibial osteotomy to relieve stress from the graft.