Osteochondral allograft in a patient with avascular necrosis of the knee secondary to lupus

Abstract

Joint preservation surgery is accepted in cases of secondary osteonecrosis of the knee without joint collapse. However, there is no consensus on the best treatment: debridement and drilling, or use of auto- or allograft. The author describes a clinical case with 15 years of evolution where allogeneic osteochondral graft was used in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the lateral femoral condyle in a young woman with systemic lupus. In spite of having other options and of the results reported in the literature, the functional evaluation 15 years later presented excellent results, with total autonomy of the patient for daily life and work tasks, indicating that the option for osteochondral allograft may be a good solution.