Osteochondritis dissecans

What is Osteochondritis dissecans?

Insufficient blood flow to the bone under the cartilage of a joint makes it weak and the bone dies. This is called Osteochondritis dissecans. This bone and cartilage can then fall apart, causing pain and possibly making it hard to move your joints.

Osteochondritis dissecans is most common in children and young adults. When there is an injury to a joint or performing a lot of activity that hurts the joint over a long period, it affects badly. Osteochondral lesion knee, the condition is most common in the knee, but it can also happen in other joints.

This condition, osteochondritis dissecans, is graded by how big the injury is, how much of the bone is broken off, and how much of the bone is still attached to the bone. If the piece of cartilage and bone that came loose stays where it is, you may not have any or very few symptoms at all. Children who haven’t yet formed their bones may be able to get better on their own. If the fragment comes loose and gets lodged between the moving portions of your joint or if you continue to have discomfort, surgery may be necessary.

Symptoms of OCD

Most of the time, osteochondral lesions in children and young teens will go away on their own because their bodies are still growing. Resting and skipping, heavy-duty, and sports until symptoms go away can help ease pain and swelling.
Osteochondritis dissecans may show up in different ways depending on which joint is affected. As long as the bone and cartilage stay close to the bigger bone, there may not be any problems. Symptoms include:

• Physical or athletic activity can cause pain, weakness, and swelling in a joint; this is often the case.
• Decreased range of motion (how far a joint can move), such as not being able to fully extend the arm or leg. This is more likely to happen if the bone and cartilage that have been broken off move into the joint space.
• Stiffness in the joint after a nap.
• In this case, locking or sticking a joint in one place;
• Pain- Most people with osteochondritis dissecans have this most common symptom when they do physical things like walk upstairs, climb a hill, or play sports.
• Swelling and pain- This could happen to the skin around your joint.
• Weak joint- You might think that your joint is giving way, or that it is getting weak. When you move the joint, you hear a sound. Decreased range of motion, as in You might not be able to straighten the limb completely. If a piece of bone gets stuck between two bones when you move, your joint might pop or stay in one place.

If you keep having pain or soreness in your knee, elbow, or other joints, go to the doctor. Also, if you see joint swelling or can’t move your joints through their full range of motion, you should see your doctor.

Causes of OCD

The cause of osteochondritis dissecans is not known. The blood flow to the end of the bone that isn’t getting enough blood might be because of small, unrecognised injuries that damage the bone over and over again. There may be a genetic component that makes some people more likely to get the disorder.

The exact reason isn’t known, but it could be:

Ischemia: a lack of blood flow that starves the bone of important nutrients. Most of the time, a problem with blood vessels or vascular problems is to blame for a restriction in blood supply. There is not enough blood to keep the bone from deteriorating, which is called avascular necrosis. Ischemia usually happens when there has been a lot of trauma in the past.

Genetics: OCD can affect more than one member of the same family. This could be a sign of a genetic predisposition. People who stress their bones or joints over and over again have a much higher chance of developing OCD. People who play competitive sports are more likely to put a lot of strain on their joints. Other things could be weak ligaments or meniscal damage in the knee.

Risks, complications and preventions of Osteochondritis dissecans

Osteochondritis dissecans is most common in kids and teens between the ages of 10 and 20 who are very active in sports. Osteochondritis dissecans can make you more likely to get osteoarthritis in that joint in the future. They might learn more about the dangers of overusing their joints if they play organised sports. Making sure they know how their sport works, wearing the right protective gear, and doing strength and stability exercises can help them avoid getting hurt.

After a reasonable amount of time, your doctor may suggest that you use crutches, or splint or cast the affected arm, leg, or another joint for a short time.

As a general rule, most kids start to feel better after a 2- to 4-month period of rest and nonsurgical care. Then, as their symptoms get better, they usually go back to doing all of their favourite things. In case of a critical illness, the doctor may suggest surgery.

A new piece of bone and cartilage will be put in its place (called a graft). This can help the bone and cartilage in the area that was damaged by OCD grow back to be strong and healthy again.

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