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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffOsteochondritis dissecans (os-tee-o-kohn-DRY-tis DIS-uh-kanz) is a joint condition in which a piece of cartilage, along with a thin layer of the bone beneath it, comes loose from the end of a bone.
Caused by reduced blood flow to the end of a bone, osteochondritis dissecans occurs most often in young men, particularly after an injury to a joint. The knee is most commonly affected, although osteochondritis dissecans can occur in other joints, including your elbow, shoulder, hip and ankle.
If the loosened piece of cartilage and bone stays put, lying close to where it detached, you may have few or no symptoms of osteochondritis dissecans, and the fracture can often heal by itself. Surgical repair may be necessary if the fragment gets jammed between the moving parts of your joint.
- Mercier LR. Osteochondritis dissecans. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/184489481-4/955662914/2088/462.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00024-1--sc0065_9490. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Miller RH, et al. Osteochondritis dissecans. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/184489481-4/955662914/1584/334.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03329-9..50046-5--cesec134_2356. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Osteochondritis dissecans. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/488.printerview.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Knee problems. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Knee_Problems/default.asp. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Chorley J, et al. Clinical features and management of ankle pain in the young athlete. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 22, 2010.
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