title: Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee.
abstract: Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee is a common cause of knee pain and dysfunction among skeletally immature and young adult patients. OCD is increasingly frequently seen in pediatric, adolescent and young adult athletes. If it is not recognized and treated appropriately, it can lead to secondary osteoarthritis with pain and functional limitation. Stable lesions in skeletally immature patients should initially be managed non-operatively. Unstable juvenile lesions and stable juvenile lesions that fail to heal with non-operative treatment require a surgical treatment. By contrast, adult OCD of the knee rarely responds to conservative measures because of limited healing potential. Operative treatment depends on the lesion stage, and there exist several surgical options.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Pavia, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zanon
authors.affiliation: St. Michael's Nursing Home, Maddaloni, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: DI Vico
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Pavia, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marullo
keywords: cartilage; knee; osteochonditis dissecans; osteochondral