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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 34/5/714    most recent 0363546505282620v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (3) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yamamoto, Y. Articles by Toh, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yamamoto, Y. Articles by Toh, S. Related Collections Elbow Baseball Operative

Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation for Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Elbow in Juvenile Baseball Players

Minimum 2-Year Follow-up

From the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan

^* Address correspondence to Yuji Yamamoto, MD, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, Aomori 036-8562, Japan (e-mail: yuji1112{at}aol.com).

Background: Osteochondral autografts have recently become popular to treat articular cartilage defects, and they are used for unstable osteochondritis dissecans lesions as a means of biological fixation.

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical results of osteochondral autograft transfer for osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: Osteochondral autograft transfer was performed on 18 baseball players (mean age, 13.6 years) with osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow. These included 9 lesions that were grade 3 (separated but in situ) and 9 lesions that were grade 4 (displaced fragment with osteochondral defect) based on magnetic resonance imaging. All patients were evaluated with a scoring system, radiographs, and magnetic resonance imaging, with the mean follow-up at 3.5 years.

Results: In patients with grade 3 lesions, the subjective score was increased, but the objective score did not change. Six of 9 patients returned to their previous sports performance levels. One quit baseball because of academic reasons, 1 changed his position, and 1 changed to softball. In patients with grade 4 lesions, both subjective and objective scores were increased significantly. All but 1 patient returned to their previous sports performance levels. In the 3 grade 4 lesions with a wide osteochondral defect, the irregularity of the articular surface remained on magnetic resonance imaging.

Conclusion: Osteochondral autograft transplantation is a useful treatment for reattachment of the lesion as well as osteochondral resurfacing of elbow osteochondritis dissecans.

Key Words: osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) • elbow • osteochondral autografts • juvenile baseball players

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