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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffOsteochondritis dissecans (os-tee-o-kon-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.
Osteochondritis dissecans occurs most often in young men, particularly after an injury to a joint. Osteochondritis dissecans is most common in the knee. But, osteochondritis dissecans can occur in other joints.
If the loosened piece of cartilage and bone stays close to where it detached, you may have few or no symptoms of osteochondritis dissecans, and the fracture may heal by itself. Surgical repair may be necessary if the fragment comes loose and gets caught between the moving parts of your joint, or if you have persistent pain.
- Skinner HB, ed. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Orthopedics. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2315794. Accessed Aug. 4, 2012.
- Chambers HG, et al. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons clinical practice guideline on: The diagnosis and treatment of osteochondritic dissecans. Rosemont, Ill.: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://www.aaos.org/research/guidelines/OCDGuideline.asp. Accessed Aug. 3, 2012.
- Moktassi A, et al. Imaging of osteochondritis dissecans. Orthopedic Clinics of North America. 2012;43:201.
- Greiwe RM, et al. Pediatric sports elbow injuries. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 2010;29:677.
- Knee problems. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Knee_Problems/default.asp#15. Accessed Aug. 4, 2012.
- Vannini F, et al. "One step" treatment of juvenile osteochondritis dissecans in the knee: Clinical results and T2 mapping characterization. Orthopedic Clinics of North America. 2012;43:237.
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