Osteochondral Allografts: Pearls to Maximize Biologic Healing and Clinical Success

We present an evidence-based approach to optimize the biologic incorporation of osteochondral allografts: (1) The donor graft is gradually rewarmed to room temperature to reverse the metabolic suppression from cold storage. (2) The graft is harvested while submerged in saline to limit thermal necrosis. (3) Subchondral bone depth is preferred at 4 to 6 mm depth (total plug depth ∼5-8 mm including articular cartilage) to reduce graft immunogenicity and to promote incorporation. (4) The bone is prepared with grooves/beveling to decrease impaction forces, increase access to subchondral deep zones during preparation, and promote graft-host interface healing. (5) High-pressure pulsed lavage is used to reduce antigenicity by removing marrow elements. (6) Pressurized carbon dioxide following pulsed lavage further reduces marrow elements and improves graft porosity for orthobiologic incorporation. (7) Orthobiologic substances (e.g., concentrated bone marrow aspirate) may enhance incorporation on imaging and result in greater osteogenic potential. (8) A suture is placed behind the graft to facilitate removal and repositioning; atraumatic graft insertion without high impaction forces maintains chondrocyte viability. These evidence-based pearls for osteochondral allograft handling optimize metabolic activity, reduce thermal necrosis, reduce antigenicity with removal of marrow elements, enhance biologic potential, and maintain chondrocyte viability to optimize biologic healing and clinical success.