Osteochondritis dissecans of the patella: a case-report in a juvenile football player.

ABSTRACT

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions are a rare cause of joint pain. Most often they occur in the knee, but they can occur in elbow or ankle too. They have a predilection for the immature skeleton and are most commonly seen in male sex, athletically active young children and adolescents.Sport-specific risk factors by anatomic region include sports associated with high frequencies of knee or ankle injuries (e.g., football, basketball) and for the elbow, the overhead throwing athlete (e.g., baseball pitcher) or gymnast.In the knee, they are most commonly seen in the femoral condyles of the knee. OCD of the patella is a rare condition. There are a few reports of it.We present a case of 14-year-old-male patient, football player, with osteochondritis dissecans of the patella (OCP). The clinical presentation, radiographic and MRI findings, treatment and return to player are discussed.