Bioabsorbable pins improve bone healing of juvenile unstable osteochondritis dissecans / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: At present, there are different strategies for treating unsteable osteochondritis dissecans of the knee joint in adolescents, but their therapeutic effects are not ideal. OBJECTIVE: To assess the therapeutic effect of bioabsorbable pin fixation on functional recovery and fracture healing in juvenile unstable osteochondritis dissecans through Lysholm, IKDC, Hughston scoring and imaging examination. METHODS: Eighteen patients with unstable osteochondritis dissecans were enrol ed. Under arthroscopy, a smal incision was localized and cut fol owed by bioabsorbable pin fixation. The average fol ow-up period was 2.7 years. Functional recovery of the affected limbs after fixation was assessed by using Lysholm, IKDC and Hughston scoring. X-ray examination was used to observe fracture healing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 6 months after fixation, the Lysholm and IKDC scores were improved significantly as compared with those before operation and maintained til the last fol owing up. There were 15 patients scored as excel ent, 2 as good and 1 as poor. X-ray films also showed that there were 17 cases of fracture healing (94% healing rate). The average fracture healing time was 2.9 months. These findings indicate that the bioabsorbable pins can improve the bone healing in juvenile unstable osteochondritis dissecans.