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The Healing Potential of Stable Juvenile Osteochondritis Dissecans Knee Lesions

¹ Cincinnati Children's Hospital, 3333 Burnet Avenue, MLC 10001, Cincinnati, OH 45229. E-mail address for G.D. Myer: greg.myer{at}cchmc.org

Investigation performed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio

Disclosure: In support of their research for or preparation of this work, one or more of the authors received, in any one year, outside funding or grants in excess of $10,000 from the National Institutes of Health (Grant R01-AR049735-03). Neither they nor a member of their immediate families received payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, division, center, clinical practice, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the authors, or a member of their immediate families, are affiliated or associated.

Methods: Forty-two skeletally immature patients (forty-seven knees) who presented with a stable osteochondritis dissecans lesion were included in the present study. All patients were managed with temporary immobilization followed by knee bracing and activity restriction. The primary outcome measure of progressive lesion reossification was determined from serial radiographs every six weeks, for up to six months of nonoperative treatment. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine potential predictors of healing status from the listed independent variables.

Results: After six months of nonoperative treatment, sixteen (34%) of forty-seven stable lesions had failed to progress toward healing. The mean surface area (and standard deviation) of the lesions that showed progression toward healing (208.7 ± 135.4 mm²) was significantly smaller than that of the lesions that failed to show progression toward healing (288.0 ± 102.6 mm²) (p = 0.05). A logistic regression model that included patient age, normalized lesion size (relative to the femoral condyle), and presenting symptoms (giving-way, swelling, locking, or clicking) was predictive of healing status. Age was not a significant contributor to the predictive model (p = 0.25).

Conclusions: In two-thirds of immature patients, six months of nonoperative treatment that includes activity modification and immobilization results in progressive healing of stable osteochondritis dissecans lesions. Lesions with an increased size and associated swelling and/or mechanical symptoms at presentation are less likely to heal.

Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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