Osteochondritis Dissecans

The Cohort is a multi-site prospective data collection study that will enroll any patient with diagnosis of knee OCD (confirmed by a standard of care x-ray or MRI). Patients will be followed for up to the next 50 years of their lives to study courses of care, disease progression, treatment/surgical options/results, and specific sports-related outcomes in athletic patients. Subjects will complete quality of life surveys as part of the Cohort. Course of care will not be affected.

Various techniques for the fixation of unstable osteochondral fragments have been used over the years, each with associated advantages and disadvantages, and differing clinical outcomes. However, the literature on the treatment of this type of injury in the adolescent and young adult population is scarce and involves small case series. Failure to treat these injuries can lead to serious consequences such as chronic pain, residual joint stiffness, and the development of early osteoarthritis, necessitating more invasive and burdensome interventions for the national health system, such as prosthetic replacements or osteotomies. Due to the lack of real consensus within the scientific community regarding the ideal treatment for these patients and the insufficient medium/long-term follow-up data on the effects of these injuries on articular cartilage in young patients, this study aims to evaluate the clinical and radiological conditions of patients undergoing osteochondral fragment fixation using the same surgical technique (fixation with resorbable screws performed arthroscopically or via open surgery depending on the lesion's location) in order to clarify preventive measures against cartilage degeneration following these injuries, which are very common in adolescence.

Rationale: In view of patient care, patient characteristics and treatment parameters are registered for all patients visiting the Mobility Clinic of the University Medical Center Utrecht for orthopaedic knee treatment. Patients also fill out questionnaires for function, pain and mobility of the knee, before and after treatment. Objective: The main objective of this registry is to collect patient characteristics and treatment parameters together with data from the questionnaires in a database. This knee registry can be used for future research questions. Study design: This is a longitudinal observational registry. Study population: All patients that visit the Mobility Clinic will be asked to participate in the knee registry. Patients that meet one or more of the following criteria will be excluded: are below the age of 16, not able or willing to sign the broad consent form, not being able to read and understand Dutch language, or receiving medical treatment for their knee elsewhere. Main study parameters/endpoints: Data will be collected for future research for which the purpose is not known at this time. When new research will be conducted, study parameters will be set. A study application has to be submitted to the institutional ethical review board of the University Medical Center Utrecht. Patients do not need to be asked permission for the use of their data for each study individually. Only when additional information is needed. Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: The burden for patients to participate in this registry is minimal and consists of time. Any future results may be beneficial for patients. Participation or refusal to participate in the registry has no consequences for their treatment.