Q&A

What is chondral delamination?

What is chondral delamination?

Chondral delamination is the separation of the articular cartilage from the underlying subchondral bone at the tidemark [1]. These injuries have been reported as the result of shearing stress that is concentrated at the junction of the noncalcified and calcified cartilage [1–3].

How is a chondral defect treated?

The most commonly performed procedures for treating chondral defects are Shaving and Microfracture. This arthroscopic technique has been popular for 20 years and has had very satisfactory results for over 75% of patients.

What is chondral damage to knee?

An articular cartilage injury, or chondral injury, may occur as a result of a pivot or twist on a bent knee, a direct blow to the knee, or wear and tear as a patient gets older. In some cases, chondral injuries may accompany an injury to a ligament such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

What causes chondral defect?

What causes a chondral defect? Damage is typically caused by an acute traumatic injury such a sudden pivot or twist with a bent knee, or a fall or direct blow to the knee. When the underlying bone beneath the cartilage is also damaged it is called an osteochondral injury.

How long does it take to recover from knee cartilage surgery?

Surgical healing takes 6-8 weeks. A rehabilitation program to restore range of motion, strengthen muscles and regain balance will be part of your recovery. Patents can expect swelling and stiffness. Patients go home immediately after surgery with crutches and a brace, plus a prescription for pain medication.

What does chondral defect mean?

A chondral defect refers to a focal area of damage to the articular cartilage (the cartilage that lines the end of the bones). An osteochondral defect refers to a focal area of damage that involves both the cartilage and a piece of underlying bone.

What does chondral mean in medical terms?

Cartilage, or chondral, damage is known as a lesion and can range from a soft spot on the cartilage (Grade I lesion) or a small tear in the top layer to an extensive tear that extends all the way to the bone (Grade IV or “full-thickness” lesion).

What happens when knee cartilage is gone?

Loss of cartilage within the knee joint can result in complications affecting the integrity of the knee joint surface due to increased pressure demands, which can lead to the development of bone spurs, subchondral bone sclerosis, and cysts and lesions.

Is a chondral defect arthritis?

Background: Focal chondral defects (FCDs) of the knee are believed to contribute to the development of osteoarthritis (OA), resulting in pain and dysfunction.

What is meant by chondral?

: of or relating to cartilage.

How do you know if you have no cartilage in your knee?

Symptoms of cartilage damage in a joint include:

  1. joint pain – this may continue even when resting and worsen when you put weight on the joint.
  2. swelling – this may not develop for a few hours or days.
  3. stiffness.
  4. a clicking or grinding sensation.
  5. the joint locking, catching, or giving way.

What kind of MRI shows chondral delamination injury?

Sagittal T2-weighted (fast spin-echo) image of knee shows grade 4 defect of medial femoral condyle (between small arrows). Just posterior to full-thickness defect is short delamination injury (large arrow) measuring 0.5 cm with increased signal in overlying articular cartilage.

What do you need to know about chondral delamination?

Chondral delamination is a form of cartilage injury and refers to the separation of the articular cartilage from the underlying subchondral bone at the tidemark. It may or may not be associated with chondral fissure.

Where are the chondral delamination lesions on the knee?

We present a small case series of three patients who presented with knee pain and subsequent MRI scans revealed chondral delamination with intact articular surface as the only explanation of symptoms. Two of the lesions were located in the patella and one on the lateral aspect of the medial femoral condyle.

What does delamination look like on a MRI scan?

Typically seen as a flap-like lifting of a whole plate of cartilage from the bone. On MRI scans, an uncomplicated delamination usually appears as a thin line of near-fluid intensity interposed between the deep layer of articular cartilage and the underlying bone. 1. Markhardt BK, Kijowski R.