Fresh Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Treatment of Articular Cartilage Defects of the Knee.

Articular cartilage damage of the knee can cause severe morbidity. Owing to its avascular nature, articular cartilage has limited potential for self-healing and increased propensity to progress to osteoarthritis. Treatment of large, full-thickness cartilage defects is still a challenge for orthopaedic surgeons but has recently achieved high success rates with the use of osteochondral allografts. This article details our technique of osteochondral allograft transplantation for the treatment of articular cartilage defects of the knee.