13 - Osteochondrosis Flashcards
General features of osteochondrosis
- Common during the middle years of growth
- Affect boys>females
- Lower limbs more frequently involved.
- Approximately 15% are bilateral
Types of osteochondroses
- Freiberg’s disease
- Kohler’s disease
- Buschke’s disease
- Thiemann’s disease
- Sever’s disease
- Islen’s disease
- Legg-calve-perthes disease
- Osgood -schlatter’s disease
These are a group of conditions in which the primary or secondary center of ossification undergo aseptic necrosis
Phases of osteochondrosis
- Early phase of necrosis (phase of avascularity)
- Phase of revascularization w/ bone deposition and resorption
- Phase of bone healing
- Phase of residual deformity
Early phase of necrosis (phase of avascularity)
- Osteocytes and bone marrow cells die
- Ossific nucleus of the epiphysis ceases to grow
- Articular cartilage remains alive and grows
- Disuse atrophy (osteoporosis)
- Asymptomatic
Phase of revascularization w/ bone deposition and resorption
- Stage represents a vascular reaction of the surrounding tissue to dead bone
- Ossification of the thickened pre-osseous cartilage resumes & new bone is laid down on dead trabeculae
- Combination of irregular areas of bone deposition and resorption provides radiographic appearance of fragmentation.
- The most vulnerable stage of osteochondrosis.
Phase of bone healing
- Bone resorption ceases, but bone deposition continues
- Newly formed bone still exhibits biological plasticity
Phase of residual deformity
- Once bony healing of the epiphysis is complete its contour relatively remains unchanged
- If any residual deformity is present, it will remain, as well as the associated complications.
Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCPD)
- Ischemic necrosis of the femoral capital ossification center.
- Males (4-8 years/old)
- Avascularity (unknown-etiology)
- Self limited disease
Etiology of LCPD
Occlusion of the blood supply to the femoral head
This can be caused by two things
- Excessive fluid pressure of a synovial effusion (joint fluid)
- Inflammatory or traumatic
Signs and symptoms of LCPD
- Pain in the region of the hip (synovial effusion)
- Antalgic gait (protect the hip)
- Limited range of motion (abduction and internal rotation)
- Disuse atrophy
Basic progression of LCPD
- Femoral head becomes more dense with possible fracture of supporting bone
- Fragmentation and reabsorption of bone
- Reossification when new bone has regrown
- Healing, when new bone reshapes
Four disease stages of LCPD
- Incipient or synovitis phase
- Aseptic necrotic / avascular stage
- Regenerative / fragmentation stage
- Residual stage
Incipient or synovitis phase of LCPD
- Soft tissue change around the hip occurs
- This will last for 1-3 weeks
Aseptic necrotic or avascular stage of LCPD
- The entire head or anterior half of the ossific nucleus is dead
- This stage lasts for several months to years
- The necrotic mass consists of dead bone marrow and dead bone in the marrow spaces
- There is NO evidence of bone regeneration during this stage ***
Regenerative/fragmentation stage of LCPD
- Radiographically, the femoral head appears compressed and fragmented
- There is also ingrowing fibrous vascular tissue and immature bone present
Residual stage of LCPD
- Rarefied area gradually disappers and normal trabecular patterns form
- There will be a residual coxa magna (asymmetrical, circumferential enlargement and deformation of the femoral head and neck)
Treatment of LCPD
- Aimed at preventing deformity of the femoral head and degenerative changes in the hip.
- Preserve congruity of the joint
- Abduction cast or some type of abduction brace.
- Femoral osteotomy and innominate osteotomy (prevent or overcome subluxation)
Osgood’s Schlatter’s disease
- Osteochondrosis of the tibial tuberosity
- Males (10-15 years/old)
- Radiographs are of no, or little use, variation of the apophysis tibial tuberosity
Clinical symptoms of Osgood’s Schlatter’s disease
- Diagnosis chiefly determined by pain and soft tissue edema
- Enlargement of the tibial tuberosity, with a maximum area of tenderness at the insertion of the patellar tendon.
- Presumed etiology secondary to trauma
Differential diagnosis of Osgood’s Schlatter’s disease
- Tendonitis
- Osteogenic sarcoma
- Infection
- Tibial tubercle fracture
Radiographic findings during acute phase of Osgood’s Schlatter’s disease
Acute phase
- Soft tissue swelling anterior to the tibial tuberosity will be present
Radiographic findings during chronic phase of Osgood’s Schlatter’s disease (3 types of the chronic phase)
Chronic phase
1 - Type 1: tibial tuberosity is prominent and irregular
2 - Type 2: same as type 1, with small free particle of bone located at the anterior tuberosity
3 - Type 3: normal tuberosity with bone particle
Treatment of Osgood’s Schlatter’s disease
- Withdrawal from active sports that cause pain
- Ice, NSAIDs, pad to protect tuberosity, rest
- Infrapatellar strap during activity
- Steroid injection NOT recommended (risks; very questionable efficacy)
- Cast immobilization for 6 weeks if severe symptoms (last resort) with crutches (non-weightbearing)
Complications of Osgood’s Schlatter’s disease
Complications: proximal segment fails to unite to the remainder of the tubercle (remains as a local source of pain)
Case study 1
- Patient is a 12 year old black male who initially presented with a history of left knee pain for 4 months
- On physical examination the patient had a prominent tibial tubercle which was swollen and tender
- There was also no tenderness over the patellar tendon
- There was full range of motion in the knee, but the patient had hamstring tightness
- He also had pain with resisted knee extension
- There was no instability to varus or valgus stress
- McMurray test was negative
- Lachman test was negative
- Patellar tracking was normal, and there was no pain with loading of the patellofemoral joint