Osteochondritis Dissecans

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Medical Author:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Medical Editor:

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD

Catherine Burt Driver, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Driver is a member of the American College of Rheumatology. She currently is in active practice in the field of rheumatology in Mission Viejo, Calif., where she is a partner in Mission Internal Medical Group.

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• Osteochondritis dissecans is a joint condition whereby a variable amount of bone and its adjacent cartilage loses its blood supply.
• The cause of osteochondritis dissecans is often unknown.
• Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, and even locking of the joint.
• Osteochondritis dissecans is best diagnosed with imaging studies.
• Arthroscopic surgery is a procedure that is frequently used as a treatment to remove the loose cartilage and bone tissue from the joint.

Osteochondritis dissecans is a joint condition whereby a variable amount of bone and its adjacent cartilage loses its blood supply. Osteochondritis dissecans can involve the bone and cartilage of virtually any joint. Elbows and knees are most commonly affected. Usually, only a small portion of the affected cartilage is involved. Osteochondritis dissecans most commonly affects boys between 9 and 18 years of age.

The cause of osteochondritis dissecans is often unknown. Theories include mild recurrent injuries or growth disturbances.

Symptoms of osteochondritis dissecans are a direct result of the irregularity of the cartilage within the affected joint. Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, and even locking of the joint so that its range of motion is significantly limited to the point that it cannot be moved beyond a limited range. For example, when osteochondritis dissecans affects the elbow, the joint may not move beyond 90 degrees of extension instead of being able to fully extend straight to 180 degrees.