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Journal of Sport Rehabilitation Nov 2023Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the capitellum is a condition occurring at the elbow and often seen in both baseball players and gymnasts due to the repetitive...
Return to Sport and Clinical Outcomes Following Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation in Baseball Players and Gymnasts With Unstable Osteochondritis Dissecans: A Critically Appraised Topic.
CLINICAL SCENARIO
Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the capitellum is a condition occurring at the elbow and often seen in both baseball players and gymnasts due to the repetitive loading of the radiocapitellar joint. Treatment options for OCD vary and are dependent on lesion presentation, elbow motion, and growth plate maturity. OCD lesions categorized as unstable can be treated with an osteochondral autograft transplantation surgery (OATS).
FOCUSED CLINICAL QUESTION
In an adolescent population, what are the return to sport rates and clinical outcomes following OATS in baseball players and gymnasts with unstable OCD lesions?
SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS
Three articles met the inclusion criteria for this appraisal, and all indicate an OATS procedure should be considered in the management of unstable OCD lesions. Return to play outcomes were favorable for both baseball players and gymnasts. Self-reported patient function and elbow extension all improved following an OATS.
CLINICAL BOTTOM LINE
An OATS procedure is a favorable option for the management of OCD lesions of the elbow in baseball players and gymnasts.
STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION
There is level B evidence to support return to sport and clinical outcomes in baseball players and gymnasts following an OATS procedure. This score is directly related to the quality of evidence that currently exists on the topic.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Baseball; Osteochondritis Dissecans; Return to Sport; Autografts; Sports
PubMed: 37558221
DOI: 10.1123/jsr.2022-0446 -
Arthroscopy : the Journal of... Apr 2024To assess return to sport (RTS) in the high-risk young athlete population with capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) undergoing arthroscopic microfracture (MFX)...
PURPOSE
To assess return to sport (RTS) in the high-risk young athlete population with capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) undergoing arthroscopic microfracture (MFX) with or without debridement as well as associated indications, clinical outcomes, radiographic outcomes, and complications.
METHODS
A literature search of all published literature in the English language from PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane from database inception to April 4, 2022, was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Included studies presented demographics and outcomes for adolescent (<21 years old) patients diagnosed with capitellar OCD who underwent arthroscopic MFX (or drilling/subchondral drilling) or MFX (or drilling/subchondral drilling) with debridement (or loose body removal/chondroplasty). Studies containing multiple surgical techniques that did not distinguish characteristics and outcomes of individual patients by surgical technique were excluded. Additionally, if there was overlap in patient populations between 2 studies, the study with less outcome data was excluded. Extracted data included study properties, patient demographics, lesion characteristics, surgery details, and patient outcomes, including range of motion, outcome scores, and RTS rates. Bias was assessed via the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS).
RESULTS
Nine studies of 136 patients and 138 elbows met criteria. Included articles were published between 2005 and 2020 with MINORS scores of 8 to 14 (50% to 88%). The age ranged from 12.7 to 15.7 years with most patients being involved in baseball or gymnastics and a rate of dominant elbow involvement of 55% to 100%. Patient follow-up ranged from 16 to 138 months. All 9 studies reported RTS, ranging from 65% to 100%. Six of these studies categorized the level to which the patient returned, with patients RTS at the same level of competition ranging from 60% to 100%. Six studies reported complications, with a range rate of 0% to 43%; there were a total of 10 complications, 7 of which required reoperations.
CONCLUSIONS
Arthroscopic MFX with or without arthroscopic debridement is a safe and effective treatment for OCD lesions of the capitellum in young, athletic patients. Included studies reported improved clinical, radiographic, and patient-reported outcomes. Aside from 1 study reporting an RTS of 65%, the rate of RTS ranged from 86% to 100%. The percentage of patients returning to sport at the same level of competition ranged from 60% to 100% with a time to RTS ranging from 4.1 to 5 months. A single study reported a complication rate of 43%, while remaining studies reported complication rates between 0% and 19%, with loose bodies being the most common complication requiring reoperation. Follow-up ranged from 16 to 138 months.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Humans; Young Adult; Arthroscopy; Athletes; Elbow Joint; Fractures, Stress; Joint Loose Bodies; Osteochondritis Dissecans; Return to Sport; Sports; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37714441
DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2023.08.075 -
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine Mar 2024Lower limb malalignment has been associated with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). However, the location of the OCD lesion often is not concordant with the mechanical leg...
BACKGROUND
Lower limb malalignment has been associated with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). However, the location of the OCD lesion often is not concordant with the mechanical leg axis. Other potentially modifiable alignment parameters may influence the propensity for impingement of the femoral condyles.
PURPOSE
To assess differences in lower limb alignment (LLA) and relative tibiofemoral position between patients with medial (MFC-OCD) or lateral OCD (LFC-OCD) of the femoral condyle.
STUDY DESIGN
Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.
METHODS
Patients ≤30 years old who were diagnosed with unicondylar OCD between January 2010 and January 2020 were eligible for this study. Included were 55 patients (age, 20.8 ± 4.5 years)-46 with MFC-OCD and 9 with LFC-OCD. Preoperative standing long-leg radiographs were studied to obtain primary outcomes-including LLA and mechanical alignment analyses-and secondary outcomes-including knee joint obliquity angle; rotation angle; medial, central (c-subluxation), and lateral subluxation (L-subluxation) of the tibia relative to the femur in the coronal plane; and tibiofemoral joint line center distance (TFJCD).
RESULTS
With regard to primary outcomes, LLA was significantly different between MFC-OCD (1.7°± 3.1° varus) and LFC-OCD (2.7 ± 3.1° valgus) ( < .001), and 78% (36/46) of patients with MFC-OCD had varus alignment, whereas 78% (7/9) of patients with LFC-OCD had valgus alignment ( < 0.002). With regard to secondary outcomes, patients with MFC-OCD had a more medial tibial position in relation to the femur, with a significantly smaller rotation angle (5.6°± 2.4° vs 9.6°± 3.6°; < .001), a smaller C-subluxation (7.2 ± 6.6 vs 14.9 ± 8.8 mm; < .01), a smaller L-subluxation (2.3 ± 2.6 vs 4.4 ± 2.7 mm; < .05), and reduced TFJCD (3.5 ± 1.7 vs 6.6 ± 1.8 mm; < .001) compared with the LFC-OCD group. For patients with MFC-OCD, the size of the OCD was significantly correlated with C-subluxation ( = 0.412; = .006).
CONCLUSION
LLA was significantly different according to OCD location. In patients with MFC-OCD, the tibia was subluxated medially, resulting in a change of joint geometry by approximation of the medial tibial eminence toward the medial femoral condyle, potentially causing excessive pressure overload and microtrauma of the cartilage. Interestingly, the extent of subluxation was correlated with OCD size.
PubMed: 38455152
DOI: 10.1177/23259671241232397 -
Pediatric Radiology Jan 2024Elbow pain is common among youth baseball players and elbow MRI is increasingly utilized to complement the clinical assessment.
BACKGROUND
Elbow pain is common among youth baseball players and elbow MRI is increasingly utilized to complement the clinical assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize, according to skeletal maturity, findings on elbow MRI from symptomatic youth baseball players.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant retrospective study included pediatric (<18 years of age) baseball players with elbow pain who underwent MRI examinations between 2010 and 2021. Two radiologists, blinded to the outcome, independently reviewed examinations to categorize skeletal maturity and to identify osseous and soft tissue findings with consensus used to resolve discrepancies. Findings were compared between skeletally immature and mature patients and logistic regression models identified predictors of surgery.
RESULTS
This study included 130 children (115 boys, 15 girls): 85 skeletally immature and 45 mature (12.8±2.3 and 16.2±1.0 years, respectively, p<0.01). Kappa coefficient for interobserver agreement on MRI findings ranged from 0.64 to 0.96. Skeletally immature children, when compared to mature children, were more likely to have elbow effusion (27%, 23/85 vs 9%, 4/45; p=0.03), medial epicondyle marrow edema (53%, 45/85 vs 16%, 7/45; p<0.01), avulsion fracture (19%, 16/85 vs 2%, 1/45; p=0.02), and juvenile osteochondritis dissecans (OCD, 22%, 19/85 vs 7%, 3/45; p=0.04), whereas skeletally mature children were more likely to have sublime tubercle marrow edema (49%, 22/45 vs 11%, 9/85; p<0.01) and triceps tendinosis (40%, 18/45 vs 20%, 17/85; p=0.03). Intra-articular body (OR=4.2, 95% CI 1.5-47.8, p=0.02) and osteochondritis dissecans (OR=3.7, 95% CI 1.1-11.9, p=0.03) were independent predictors for surgery.
CONCLUSION
Differential patterns of elbow MRI findings were observed among symptomatic pediatric baseball players based on regional skeletal maturity. Intra-articular body and osteochondritis dissecans were independent predictors of surgery.
Topics: Male; Adolescent; Female; Humans; Child; Elbow; Retrospective Studies; Osteochondritis Dissecans; Baseball; Elbow Joint; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Pain; Edema
PubMed: 38015294
DOI: 10.1007/s00247-023-05817-0 -
Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine Sep 2023Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) treats symptomatic focal cartilage defects with satisfactory clinical results.
Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes After Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation for Treating Articular Cartilage Defects: Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-analysis of Studies From 2001 to 2020.
BACKGROUND
Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) treats symptomatic focal cartilage defects with satisfactory clinical results.
PURPOSE
To comprehensively analyze the characteristics and clinical outcomes of OCA for treating articular cartilage defects.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.
METHODS
We searched Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Database, and Web of Science for studies published between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2020, on OCA for treating articular cartilage defects. Publication information, patient data, osteochondral allograft storage details, and clinical outcomes were extracted to conduct a comprehensive summative analysis.
RESULTS
In total, 105 studies involving 5952 patients were included. The annual reported number of patients treated with OCA increased from 69 in 2001 to 1065 in 2020, peaking at 1504 cases in 2018. Most studies (90.1%) were performed in the United States. The mean age at surgery was 34.2 years, and 60.8% of patients were male and had a mean body mass index of 26.7 kg/m. The mean lesion area was 5.05 cm, the mean follow-up duration was 54.39 months, the mean graft size was 6.85 cm, and the number of grafts per patient was 54.7. The failure rate after OCA was 18.8%, and 83.1% of patients reported satisfactory results. Allograft survival rates at 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years were 94%, 87.9%, 80%, 73%, 55%, and 59.4%, respectively. OCA was mainly performed on the knee (88.9%). The most common diagnosis in the knee was osteochondritis dissecans (37.9%), and the most common defect location was the medial femoral condyle (52%). The most common concomitant procedures were high tibial osteotomy (28.4%) and meniscal allograft transplantation (24.7%). After OCA failure, 54.7% of patients underwent revision with primary total knee arthroplasty.
CONCLUSION
The annual reported number of patients who underwent OCA showed a significant upward trend, especially from 2016 to 2020. Patients receiving OCA were predominantly young male adults with a high body mass index. OCA was more established for knee cartilage than an injury at other sites, and its best indication was osteochondritis dissecans. This analysis demonstrated satisfactory long-term postoperative outcomes.
PubMed: 37745815
DOI: 10.1177/23259671231199418 -
Acta Ortopedica Brasileira 2024Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is the idiopathic osteonecrosis of the capital femoral epiphysis in children. It is a self-healing condition, and the morphology of...
INTRODUCTION
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is the idiopathic osteonecrosis of the capital femoral epiphysis in children. It is a self-healing condition, and the morphology of the hip may vary according to the severity of the disease, among several other factors. The treatment focuses on attempts to prevent femoral head collapse, obtain functional hip motion recovery, and reduce pain. Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) of the femoral head has been reported in 2% to 7% of patients diagnosed with healed LCPD. Although OCD may remain asymptomatic, the osteochondral fragment has the potential to become unstable, evolving into symptoms of pain, locking, catching, and snapping.
CASE REPORT
We present a case report of a ten-year-old boy with an OCD lesion following LCPD who underwent effective osteochondral fixation through the surgical hip dislocation approach. The patient evolved to excellent functional recovery at 1 year post-operatively.
DISCUSSION
The surgical hip dislocation approach allows anatomical fixation of the OCD fragment, as well as improvement of hip biomechanics, decreasing pain, improving range of motion and joint congruency, and preserving the native articular cartilage. It also gives the surgeon the opportunity to assess hip stability, femoroacetabular impingement and labral tears, allowing a wide variety of options for the treatment of the healed LCPD.
PubMed: 38532867
DOI: 10.1590/1413-785220243201e277177 -
JSES International Nov 2023Introducing and implementing an arthroscopic classification tool for posterolateral elbow instability.
BACKGROUND
Introducing and implementing an arthroscopic classification tool for posterolateral elbow instability.
METHODS
Thirty arthroscopies were performed on 30 patients, and all recordings were collected, blinded, and labeled. Three orthopedic surgeons reviewed and scored all 30 recordings three times with a period of at least seven days in between to analyze the intraobserver and interobserver reliability. The classification consisted of five different grades.
RESULTS
Indications for elbow arthroscopy included impingement (n = 7), osteochondritis dissecans (n = 5), pain (n = 7), osteoarthritis (n = 6), and other (n = 5). The kappa value for intrarater reliability was 0.71, indicating good reliability, while the kappa value for inter-rater reliability was 0.38 indicating fair reliability.
CONCLUSION
This new classification is a tool for an arthroscopic assessment of PLRI and can be used as a standardized grading system for further research and communication between orthopedic surgeons. We demonstrated good intrarater reliability (k = 0.71) with fair inter-rater reliability (k = 0.38). However, further research is necessary to study the clinical significance.
PubMed: 37969525
DOI: 10.1016/j.jseint.2023.02.016 -
The American Journal of Sports Medicine Feb 2024Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) has been widely performed because the osteochondral component of the osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion is the most...
Association of Stability and Size of Unhealed Area With Failure After Internal Fixation for Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions of the Knee: Radiological Evaluation Using Computed Tomography.
BACKGROUND
Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) has been widely performed because the osteochondral component of the osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion is the most suitable for reconstructing the joint structure.
PURPOSE
To evaluate radiological healing in terms of reconstructed bony structure after ORIF with bone graft by computed tomography (CT), to identify preoperative prognostic factors for failure, and to determine the cutoff value of radiological healing for risk of failure.
STUDY DESIGN
Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.
METHODS
A retrospective cohort study of 42 patients (44 knees) who underwent internal fixation with bone graft for OCD lesions of the knee from 2004 to 2018 was conducted. All patients were evaluated 6 months postoperatively, and if not healed 6 months after surgery, they were evaluated by CT periodically thereafter. Radiological healing was judged according to the following 3 criteria: (1) reossification of the OCD lesion, (2) bony continuity between the OCD lesion and basal floor, and (3) reconstructed bony surface of the femoral condyle reconstructed to match the normal joint. Then, the percentage of the radiological healing area was calculated as the ratio of the healing length to the total lesion length. The nonhealing area was calculated by multiplying the sum of the total nonhealing length. Clinical failure was defined as any definitive reoperation for the same OCD lesion, such as fragment excision, or a cartilage restoration procedure. After 6 months, all eligible patients underwent arthroscopy to check for protrusion of the absorbable pin into the joint; the removal of an absorbable pin protruding into the joint was not considered a failure.
RESULTS
Clinical failure was recorded for 4 cases (9.1%). The mean overall percentage of the radiological healing area of OCD 6 months after ORIF with bone graft was 79.5% ± 24.4%, and the mean overall nonhealing area at 6 months was 87.8 ± 107.9 mm. The percentages of radiological healing area of stable (International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society OCD II) lesions and femoral condylar (lateral femoral condyle + medial femoral condyle) lesions were significantly lower than unstable lesions and femoral groove lesions, respectively ( = .01 and = .03, respectively). On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the cutoff points for predicting a significantly increased risk of failure were 33.9% (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 100%; area under the curve, 1) for the percentage of radiological healing area and 222.9 mm (sensitivity, 95%; specificity, 100%; area under the curve, 0.956) for the nonhealing area 6 months postoperatively.
CONCLUSION
A stable lesion and a femoral condylar lesion were the predictors of poor radiological healing on CT images 6 months after ORIF with bone graft. The risk of failure was increased significantly in cases with only approximately one-third of the lesion healed or in cases with large nonhealing areas at 6 months postoperatively.
Topics: Humans; Osteochondritis Dissecans; Retrospective Studies; Case-Control Studies; Radiography; Knee Joint; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 38197165
DOI: 10.1177/03635465231217252 -
Orthopadie (Heidelberg, Germany) Jan 2024Chondral and osteochondral lesions encompass several acute or chronic defects of the articular cartilage and/or subchondral bone. These lesions can result from several... (Review)
Review
Chondral and osteochondral lesions encompass several acute or chronic defects of the articular cartilage and/or subchondral bone. These lesions can result from several different diseases and injuries, including osteochondritis dissecans, osteochondral defects, osteochondral fractures, subchondral bone osteonecrosis, and insufficiency fractures. As the cartilage has a low capacity for regeneration and self-repair, these lesions can progress to osteoarthritis. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the subject matter that it covers. PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar were accessed using the following keywords: "chondral lesions/defects of the femoral head", "chondral/cartilage lesions/defects of the acetabulum", "chondral/cartilage lesions/defects of the hip", "osteochondral lesions of the femoral head", "osteochondral lesions of the acetabulum", "osteochondral lesions of the hip", "osteochondritis dissecans," "early osteoarthritis of the hip," and "early stage avascular necrosis". Hip osteochondral injuries can cause significant damage to the articular surface and diminish the quality of life. It can be difficult to treat such injuries, especially in patients who are young and active. Several methods are used to treat chondral and osteochondral injuries of the hip, such as mesenchymal stem cells and cell-based treatment, surgical repair, and microfractures. Realignment of bony anatomy may also be necessary for optimal outcomes. Despite several treatments being successful, there is a lack of head-to-head comparisons and large sample size studies in the current literature. Additional research will be required to provide appropriate clinical recommendations for treating chondral/osteochondral injuries of the hip joint.
Topics: Humans; Osteochondritis Dissecans; Quality of Life; Cartilage, Articular; Cartilage Diseases; Acetabulum; Osteonecrosis; Osteoarthritis
PubMed: 37815635
DOI: 10.1007/s00132-023-04444-9 -
Arthroscopy Techniques Oct 2023Treatment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions poses a significant challenge for orthopaedic surgeons and can cause debilitating limitations on the activity of...
Treatment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions poses a significant challenge for orthopaedic surgeons and can cause debilitating limitations on the activity of patients. Timing of intervention, surgical technique, and selection of graft when needed are all key elements of treatment that need to be considered carefully and discussed with patients. Primary fixation of an OCD fragment with intact subchondral bone has been shown to be beneficial in some cases. There is limited literature, however, on how to approach large chondral lesions in young patients without a large subchondral base attached to the fragment. Treatment of large OCD lesions of the knee with an all-arthroscopic approach provides several benefits, including limited dissection for exposure, improved ability to assess the stability of the OCD lesion during articulation after fixation, and an expedited recovery compared to an open approach. The purpose of this technical note is to detail a technique of performing an all-arthroscopic bone grafting and primary fixation of a medial femoral condyle OCD lesion.
PubMed: 37942112
DOI: 10.1016/j.eats.2023.05.021