Summary in Layman’s Terms
Doctors often need to know whether a knee lesion from osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is stable or unstable (mobile) before surgery. This matters because the treatment approach depends on mobility. Stable lesions may be treated with less invasive procedures while unstable ones may need screws or fixation.
This study looked at over 400 young patients with OCD of the knee to see if doctors could predict lesion mobility using simple clinical signs without relying on costly MRI scans.
The researchers found that three factors were the best predictors:
- Age over 14 years
- Swelling in the knee (effusion)
- Loss of motion compared to the other knee
When these were present there was an 85 to 92 percent chance that the lesion was unstable. The model was highly accurate with about 83 percent sensitivity and 82 percent specificity.
Big takeaway: Simple signs that any orthopedic doctor can check in the clinic can help predict whether surgery will reveal a stable or unstable OCD lesion. This helps surgeons prepare better and gives families more accurate information before the procedure.
