title: Osteochondrosis dissecans of the lateral femoral condyle before skeletal maturity.
abstract: Many surgical techniques are available for the treatment of osteochondrosis dissecans before skeletal maturity with variable success. In this paper we present a simple and safe surgical technique of bone grafting and temporary stabilization. The rare case of a 10-year-old boy, who suffered from a large developing osteochondrosis dissecans of the lateral femoral condyle, is reported. This patient was treated by retrograde autologous bone graft and fixation of the fragment with K-wires. After 4 weeks partial weight-bearing was possible. During 5 months the lesion healed well which could be demonstrated by x-ray and MRI. Consequently, the K-wires were removed. Because there is a high risk of osteoarthritis developing in the weight-bearing areas, especially in large lateral lesions, prophylactic stabilization and bone grafting is suggested. This can be performed successfully by the demonstrated simple technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wirbel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Mutschler
mesh_terms: D016025:Bone Transplantation; D001864:Bone Wires; D002648:Child; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D007717:Knee; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010008:Osteochondritis Dissecans / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016474:Weight-Bearing