Osteoarthritis

Question 1

what is it?

Answer 1

a non-inflammatory arthritis wear and tear, most common arthritis

Question 2

pathogenesis

Answer 2

imbalance between wear and repair of cartilage within joints may be considerable amount of associated inflammation - periodic flaring

Question 3

what causes OA?

Answer 3

often no definitive causative factor - primary OA genetic - familial link - no mendelian inheritance - no formal genetic mutation identified environmental factors - hobbies - type of work - joints with abnormal alignment (developmental/pathological)

Question 4

what causes secondary OA?

Answer 4

congenital dislocation of the hipperthes SUFE previous intra-articular fracture extra-articular fracture with malunion osteochondral/hyaline cartilage injury crystal arthropathy inflammatory arthritis meniscal arthritis genu varum or valgum

Question 5

How does osteoarthritis present?

Answer 5

pain may be baker’s cyst

Question 6

how is OA investigated?

Answer 6

X-ray Loss of joint space Osteophytes Sclerosis Subchondral cysts

Question 7

how is OA managed?

Answer 7

treat the patient and their symptoms rather than the X ray images weight loss and exercise some situations - surgery