A chondral defect is a crater in the articular cartilage.
The term is usually reserved for a focal or isolated crater caused by an injury, where the joint surface and a bit of underlying bone has been knocked off. The person lands with force onto the bent knee, or there is a direct blow to the knee, knocking off a piece of articular cartilage.The chondral defect is the crater. The loose body is the bit that breaks off.
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