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Functional outcomes after patellar autologous osteochondral transplantation

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to assess clinical evaluation of patients who underwent autologous osteochondral transplantation of the patella.

Methods

This prospective study assessed outcomes of 20 patients who underwent patellar autologous osteochondral transplantation at four time-points: preoperatively, 3 days, 6 months, and 2 years after surgery. The following outcomes were assessed at each time-point: pain (VAS), gait, swelling, trophic status, muscle strength, patellar mobility, and range of motion. The Tegner scale was also applied for each time-point.

Results

All parameters improved, except for patellar mobility, which did not show any change. Pain score decreased from 7.1 (SD 2.3) to 2.4 (SD 2.6) at the 2-year assessment; limping decreased from 70 % before surgery to 15 % 2 years later; swelling scores decreased from an average of 1.8 (SD 0.8) 3 days after surgery to 0.5 (SD 0.7) at the 2-year assessment; muscle strength increased from 3.9 (SD 0.8) to 4.7 (SD 0.7) points at final follow-up; and the range of motion increased from 84 (SD 16.2) to 132 (SD 10.7) degrees 2 years later. Tegner score before surgery ranged from 0 to 5, and after 2 years, it ranged from 5 to 9.

Conclusion

Autologous osteochondral transplantation for the treatment of patellar chondral lesion was associated with significant improvement in pain, gait, swelling, and range of motion 2 years after surgery, achieving scores similar to uninjured knees. Most of them were able to return to sports activity after 6 months (recreational level) and 2 years (competitive level).

Level of evidence

IV.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Traumatologia do Esporte, Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina/UNIFESP, Rua Borges Lagoa 783, 5º andar, São Paulo, Brazil

    Diego Costa Astur & Gustavo Gonçalves Arliani

  2. Instituto Cohen, São Paulo, Brazil

    Adilio Bernardes, Saulo Castro & Camila Cohen Kaleka

  3. Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

    Nelson Astur

  4. Departamento de Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina/UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil

    Moisés Cohen

Authors
  1. Diego Costa Astur
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  2. Adilio Bernardes
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  3. Saulo Castro
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  4. Gustavo Gonçalves Arliani
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  5. Camila Cohen Kaleka
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  6. Nelson Astur
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  7. Moisés Cohen
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Correspondence to Diego Costa Astur.

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Astur, D.C., Bernardes, A., Castro, S. et al. Functional outcomes after patellar autologous osteochondral transplantation. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 25, 3084–3091 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-016-4108-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-016-4108-z

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