Osteochondral allografts in the treatment of articular cartilage injuries of the knee

Osteochondral allografts have demonstrated encouraging clinical and scientific success in the treatment of full-thickness articular cartilage defects in multiple anatomic locations including the knee. The use of fresh grafts has shown the greatest potential for clinical success. There has been growing interest in cryopreservation techniques and the use of cryopreserved grafts owing to the delay in obtaining grafts secondary to regulatory testing, encouraging laboratory data surrounding their use, and the potential for more effective tissue banking. This article reviews the indications, operative technique, and clinical outcomes using osteochondral allografts for full-thickness articular cartilage defects in the knee.