Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Lateral Femoral Trochlea Healing after Isolated Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction: A Case Report

Abstract

We report on a 12 years old female patient who had been diagnosed with patellofemoral instability – recurrent dislocation and anterior knee pain. Radiologic evaluation further revealed osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the lateral femoral trochlea. She underwent surgical procedure with isolated medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction, no surgical procedure was done to the OCD lesion. Postoperatively, there was clinical improvement of patellofemoral instability, with radiological evidence of healing of the OCD lesion. Isolated realignment procedures such as medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction may be associated with spontaneous healing of osteochondritis dissecans of the lateral femoral trochlea.

Keywords

• osteochondritis dissecans
• OCD
• articular cartilage
• patellofemoral instability