KNEE ARTHRITIS - Cartilage plug transfer :

Osteochondral defect - - Posted by dawnb1968 (dawnb1968), 28 November 2003

Hi everyone,

Hoping someone can help, can anyone tell me what an osteochondral defect to the lateral femoral condyle is and if it is something to be concerned about ?
I'm having surgery to repair the meniscus in my left knee and i have tried calling my os to ask some questions about my mri results but can't seem to get anyone to call me back. I'm scheduled to have surgery on tues the 2nd.

Thanks for your time,
Dawn
Posted by dhalem (dhalem), 28 November 2003

You may want to go to this website, www.cartilagerepaircenter.org.  If gives quite bit of information pertaining to OCD.   Also plenty of info on the major search engines such as google.  

I have been living with an OCD in my right knee since I was around 13. I am 31 now and after many years of competitive sports the defect became worse.  Everyone is different, but typically over time, the defect worsens and becomes less stable.  In my case, when I was 13 my knee would just give out on me.  Basically it is bone/cartilage that weakens over time and forms little craters in the knee.  Alot depends on the size of the defect.    Mine is 1.5 cm (relatively small defect) and is in the lateral femoral condyle/partial trochlera groove.  

I had a bone graft done recently for my OCD which seems to be healing well.  There are a few other procedures out there for OCD.  Microfracture, ACI, bone grafting.  The OS can help determine what is best based on the size and severity of the defect.  

I had Mirofracture performed in 1990 and this gave the knee about 12 years of quality life with sports like football and basketball.  I recently had the bone graft done (took piece of knee from top my tibia and implanted it into my defect in lateral femoral condyle)and this will take some more time for me to know how it has worked.  I may eventually need the ACI- Autologus Chondrocyle Implantation if the bone graft does not do the job.  Hopefully not, as it is a rigourous operation and recovery.  

If your OCD is not that severe and is not giving you any problems, my advice would be to leave it alone for now.  One year ago I may a poor decision to start the ACI procedure, when I should have just cut back on the basketball and other sports.  From that procedure, I developed heavy scar tissue/Arthrofibrosis.  Since then I have had the bone graft procedure in September, and then a Manipulation with scope for additional scar tissue removal Oct 27, 03.  The bone graft is not even my concern now.  It is the Arthrofibrosis, and scar tissue that I am battling.  

Make sure your OS is very experienced in Cartilage Repair before going into any of the procedures for the OCD.  

Good luck,

Dan

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