Autologous lateral patellar transplant as a reserve method for managing large osteochondral defects of the knee joint in young adults

Between 1995 and 1997, five patients were operated on with a large osteochondral defect of the femoral condyle using the lateral third of the patella. The age of the four male and one female ranged from 18 to 23 years. Initially all of them suffered from an osteochondrosis dissecans which was located at the typical site on the medial condyle of the femur, in the maximal weight bearing region. The follow-up study was 14 to 35 months and showed an improvement from 35 points preoperatively to 89 points postoperatively based on the Cincinnati knee score. All patients returned to there previous profession as well as mild sports activity. The postoperative examination did not show any retropatellar problems and there were no radiological signs of the femoropatellar joint osteoarthritis. For the operative treatment of large chondral defects at the femoral condyle autologous osteochondral transplantation using the lateral third of the patella seems to be a successful alternative.