Autologous osteochondral mosaicplasty for treatment of a posttraumatic defect of the lateral tibial plateau: a case report with two-year follow-up.

Abstract

Posttraumatic osteochondral defects following a tibial plateau fracture are common and a serious complication that may lead to the development of posttraumatic arthrosis. Successful reconstruction of the tibial plateau must include restoration of limb alignment, repair of bone defects, restoration of the articular cartilage, and preservation of the menisci. When osteochondral defects are present, the use of bulk bone grafts to restore the original articular surface anatomy of the tibial plateau is difficult due to incongruity between the graft and the original joint surface. Recognizing this, an autologous osteochondral transplantation utilizing the mosaic technique was performed successfully on a 32-year-old male alpine skier with a posttraumatic osteochondral defect following a tibial plateau fracture. At 2 years postsurgery, the patient had regained the capacity to perform most activities of daily living and to participate in sports. Clinical examination revealed an improvement of the Lysholm score from 48 points to 72 points.