Variable Return-to-Sport Rates with Improved Pain and Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Osteochondral Allograft...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) is a key surgical option for significant knee chondral defects in active individuals.
• Understanding return-to-sport (RTS) and graft longevity after OCA is crucial for athletic patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review literature on RTS rates and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) following knee OCA in athletes.
• To analyze graft survival and complication rates associated with the procedure.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases was conducted.
• Included studies reported RTS outcomes after knee OCA, with data analyzed descriptively.
• Methodological quality was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies.

Main Results:

• Thirteen studies involving 699 patients were analyzed, with a mean follow-up of 59.9 months.
• RTS rates varied from 59.4% to 90.9%, with 27.3-79.1% returning to their previous sport level.
• Significant improvements were observed in Tegner, Visual Analog Scale-Pain, and International Knee Documentation Committee scores; graft failure ranged from 0% to 10.8%.

Conclusions:

• Knee OCA offers variable but often successful RTS rates for athletes with substantial chondral lesions.
• The procedure leads to improved pain and functional outcomes, though graft failure and reoperation rates require consideration.
• Further research should focus on optimizing outcomes and long-term graft durability in athletic populations.