Chondromalacia means 'softening of the gristle or joint cartilage' and usually refers to the kneecap (patella). The softening can be felt with a blunt probe during surgery.
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| Normal joint cartilage of patella (seen above the femoral groove) (Grade 0). | Chondromalacia - softening of the patellar joint cartilage, which can be dimpled with a rounded probe (Grade I). |
Chondromalacia is a description, not a disorder
Chondromalacia is not a disease but simply a descriptive term. When a surgeon identifies softened joint cartilage during arthroscopy, he will generally use a grading system for his notes.
Grading cartilage damage (Outerbridge classification)
| GRADE | DESCRIPTION | DIAGRAM |
| 0 | cartilage is normal and intact | |
| 1 | cartilage has some softening and blistering |  |
| 2 | partial thickness (less than 50%) defect or minor tears in the surface of the cartilage |  |
| 3 | deeper defect (more than 50%) |  |
| 4 | full thickness cartilage loss with exposure of the subchondral bone |  |
Synonyms:
chondrosis
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CLINICAL PUBLICATIONS
The etiology of chondromalacia patellae. Outerbridge RE. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1961 Nov;43-B:752-7.