Fresh and frozen articular cartilage allografts.

Fresh and frozen cartilage allografts both function well to relieve joint pain due to cartilage injury. Fresh cartilage allografts appear to remain alive for many months and are most applicable to small injuries such as osteochondritis dissecans, traumatic defects, and osteonecrosis. Frozen cartilage allografts have been used mostly for treatment of bone tumors which most often involve the subchondral and the metaphyseal areas of the long bones, particularly around the knee and hip. Frozen cartilage allografts appear to survive well and maintain joint space for several years. Deterioration of either type of graft does not appear to result in joint pain, making these grafts useful for long periods of time.