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Osteochondritis Dissecans, Sports Medicine

Holly J. Benjamin, MD, FAAP, FACSM and Melissa Faubert, DO Reviewed 04/2019
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) defined as a focal idiopathic alteration of subchondral bone with risk for instability and disruption of adjacent articular cartilage that may result ...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Insidious onset of symptoms

  • Vague, poorly localized joint pain

  • Varying levels of pain and stiffness

  • May or may not report joint swelling

  • May have sensation of locking or catching or givin...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Early recognition of condition is important. If not treated, can lead to degenerative osteoarthritis.

  • Juvenile 3,4[A]:

    • When diagnosis is incidental, no specific treatment is ne...

ONGOING CARE

PROGNOSIS

  • All patients with OCD lesions have increased risk for osteoarthritis, but risk decreases with proper healing.

  • Groups who underwent fixation of OCD lesion had lower rates of osteoa...

REFERENCES

1
Zbojniewicz AM, Laor T. Imaging of osteochondritis dissecans. Clin Sports Med.  2014;33(2):221–250.
2
Bauer KL, Polousky JD. Management of osteochondritis dissecans lesions of the knee,...

ADDITIONAL READING

Carey JL, Grimm NL. Treatment algorithm for osteochondritis dissecans of the knee. Orthop Clin North Am.  2015;46(1):141–146. 

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • Juvenile OCD patients with stable lesions require a period of non–weight-bearing and rest from activity for 3 to 4 mo.

  • Patients should be pain free before return to sports.

  • MRI is gold s...

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