Osteochondritis dissecans

Osteochondritis dissecans is when a loose piece of bone and cartilage separates from the end of the bone because of a loss of blood supply and insuffecient amounts of calcium. The loose piece may stay in place or slide around making the joint stiff and unstable. Osteochondritis Dissecans most commonly effects the knees or ankles. If a serious injury occurs in this area, the bone around it will supply it with as much calcium as possible to try and fix the loose piece of bone. This often results in a calcium build up around the loose piece. This build up is surgically removed most of the time. more...

This is a minor disease, however it is very rare. It commonly occurs in boys and young men from 10-20 years of age while they are still growing. As girls become more active in sports, it is becoming more common among them as well.

Diagnosis

To determine whether your pains are Osteochondritis Dissecans, you can have an MRI to show whether the loose piece of bone is still in place. In specific cases if caught early enough, a harmless dye will be injected into your blood stream to show where the calcium will most likely continue to build up. Doing this makes the removal process much easier.

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