On this episode, we’re going to continue our discussion with Dr. William Bugbee and focus on OCA surgical technique and then discuss clinical outcomes including return to sports.

Our conversation picks back up with a recent paper from the July issue of Cartilage this year titled “Young Age and Concomitant or Prior Bony Realignment Procedures are Associated with Decreased Risk of Failure of Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation in the Knee.” This retrospective nationwide database study represents the largest OCA cohort study to date and found that less than 2% of patients required salvage surgery. Young age, less than 29, and having a bony realignment procedure were associated with a significantly lower rate of salvage surgery – include revision cartilage procedures and arthroplasty.

We finish up today with an article from the June 2017 issue of AJSM titled “Return to Sport and Recreational Activity after Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation in the Knee.” Dr. Bugbee and colleagues at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla California reported that at a mean follow up of 6 years, 75% of patients were able to return to sport or recreational activity. Patients who did not return were more likely to be female and have a large graft size. 25% of knees underwent further surgery and 9% were considered allograft failures. Of the patients without OCA failure, 91% were satisfied with the results of surgery.