Large fresh osteochondral allografts for the hip: growing the evidence

Articular cartilage lesions of the hip are difficult to effectively treat. Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation in the knee has been associated with long-term success, but OCA for the hip has not been extensively studied. Here, we present the clinical and radiological outcomes from a cohort of 10 patients treated with fresh OCA transplants for large osteochondral defects of the femoral head and/or acetabulum.

10 patients who had undergone osteochondral allograft transplantation of the femoral head and/or acetabulum at our institution between 2013 and 2016 were identified from our Institutional Review Board-approved registry. Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) was used to track patient progress.

10 patients with an average clinical follow-up of 1.4 years were included in this study. 4 patients were treated solely with OCA plugs for femoral head defects, while the remaining 6 received femoral OCA plugs and at least 1 concomitant procedure for additional intraarticular pathology. 7 patients (70%) had successful functional outcomes, while 3 (30%) had unsuccessful outcomes and were subsequently converted to total hip arthroplasty (THA) 5 to 29 months after OCA.

OCA transplantation can be an effective treatment strategy for young, healthy individuals with articular cartilage lesions of the hip. Smoking, avascular necrosis aetiology, acetabular involvement and concomitant procedures may be risk factors for unsuccessful outcomes necessitating salvage with THA. Long-term clinical studies to refine indications and determine functional outcomes and survival rates are warranted.