CARTILAGE injuries to the knee can be successfully treated with a technique called osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA), which uses donated tissue to treat the problem area. A study at the Scripps Clinic in California examined the success of the approach in 149 knees and found 113, or 76% of those treated with the surgery, had returned to training at an average follow-up of six years.
“Patients who are highly active can be discouraged by these types of injuries, so we are happy to see the success of this treatment option,” said Dr William Bugbee, lead author of the trial.