Osteochrondritis Dissecans (OCD) and Cartilage Injuries
Osteochrondritis dissecans (OCD) is a condition in which the bone that supports the cartilage of a joint softens. This softening is caused by an interruption in the blood flow to that portion of bone. If left untreated, this softening can lead to damage of the cartilage in the joint.
No one knows exactly what causes OCD, but it has been associated with specific injuries as well as long term repetitive impact to the joint.
Cartilage injury is similar to OCD, but it is caused by an acute injury to the cartilage and underlying bone. It can happen in association with ligament injuries, such as tearing of the ACL.
OCD and cartilage injuries most commonly affect the knee, ankle and elbow.
Why come to The Children’s Hospital for treatment of this condition?
Children’s has the only sports medicine program in Colorado that is focused solely on caring for young athletes. Our team of sports medicine experts understand the demands that sports programs place on school-aged athletes and the importance of customized, age-appropriate care. Since many young athletes are still growing, they need special kid and teen-specific treatment that takes this into consideration.
Our pediatric specialists are fellowship-trained in sports medicine, giving them the focused expertise that makes The Children's Hospital the best choice for young athletes looking to maximize performance after recovering from a sports injury.
What are the signs and symptoms?
The signs and symptoms of OCD include the onset of intense knee pain with increased activity, swelling and clicking or popping sensations. These symptoms may begin to appear after a patient has experienced a small injury, which had seemed to improve.
The signs and symptoms of an acute cartilage injury are more obvious. There is usually a known injury with rapid knee swelling and difficulty putting weight on the extremity. There may also be a sensation of clicking and locking of the involved joint.
How do you diagnose it?
OCD and cartilage injuries are diagnosed by x-ray and magnetic resource imaging (MRI).
How do we treat it?
There are many treatments for OCD. In patients who are still growing, we treat mild OCDs with rest and a recommendation to decrease running and jumping activities. These OCDs have a good chance of healing without surgery and pose minimal risk for arthritis.
More advanced OCDs, or those in older adolescents, are treated with surgery. We use minimally-invasive surgical methods to reestablish blood flow and cartilage restoration/repair techniques. Some more advanced techniques include arthroscopic surgery and bone transplantation/grafting procedures. Most patients are good candidates for the arthroscopic surgeries.
Recovery time from surgery ranges from 12 weeks for the arthroscopic procedures to 6 months for the more invasive techniques.
Acute cartilage injury, if diagnosed early, can sometimes be treated by repairing the broken cartilage piece. More complicated defects and injuries are treated by the more advanced surgical techniques for cartilage restoration .
Who gets it, and can it be prevented?
Anyone can get an OCD or cartilage injury, although children and adolescents involved in sports with running and jumping are more likely to experience these kinds of injuries. Gymnasts and baseball players are especially susceptible to OCDs in the elbow.
