Abstract
Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee is a common osteochondral lesion in young generation, in which the subchondral bone eventually separates along with its superficial cartilage layer. Various treatment options are available depending on the condition of the lesion and the age of the patient, but if the osteochondral fragments are not treated properly, joint conformity may be greatly impaired and joint function is significantly reduced, leading to the secondary osteoarthritis. Therefore, early and appropriate diagnosis and treatment are important. For diagnosis, it is important to determine the status of OCD lesions and subchondral bone in the knee using plain radiography, MRI, and CT. Depending on the patient's age, the affected area, and the condition of the lesion, conservative treatment and surgical treatment such as drilling, bone grafting, osteochondral fragment fixation, osteochondral grafting, and implantation of the cultured cartilage are selected for treatment. Especially in cases of extensive OCD of the knee where the lesion is detached and the anatomical congruity cannot be achieved, we have used tissue engineering techniques to implant the cartilage-like tissue prepared ex vivo and have obtained good postoperative results.
In this presentation, we describe the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of juvenile osteochondritis of the knee.