Accelerated Return to Sport After Osteochondral Autograft Plug Transfer

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Knee cartilage restoration procedures have varied return-to-sport protocols.
• Isolated chondral injuries require effective rehabilitation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the time to return to sport in athletes after osteochondral autograft plug transfer (OAT) using an accelerated protocol.
• To assess clinical outcomes and identify potential consequences of accelerated return to sport.

Main Methods:

• A case series (Level of evidence, 4) reviewed 152 OAT procedures.
• Included 20 competitive athletes undergoing physician-directed accelerated rehabilitation.
• Assessed return to sport, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Tegner scores, and level of participation.

Main Results:

• All 20 athletes returned to sport at a mean of 82.9 ± 25 days.
• 13 athletes (65%) had a mean 4.4-year follow-up with excellent outcomes.
• Mean postoperative IKDC score was 84.5, with Tegner scores near preinjury levels.

Conclusions:

• An accelerated OAT protocol significantly reduces return-to-sport time for athletes with traumatic chondral defects.
• Excellent clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction were observed.
• No serious long-term sequelae were reported with this accelerated protocol.