Abstract
Background:Capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is commonly encountered in youth athletes. There are limited reports on long term outcomes using validated outcome scores following surgical treatment of elbow OCD in adolescents.Purpose:To examine the outcomes of operative treatment of elbow OCD in adolescent athletes and investigate return to sport rate as well as athletic and daily function.Methods:17 adolescent athletes (average age 14.2 ± 1.5 years) and 18 elbows with OCD treated arthroscopically were retrospectively reviewed. The average duration of symptoms prior to surgery was 15.4 ± 12.5 months and average follow up was 4.4 ± 3.7 years. Data points examined included pre-operative lesion grade/size, range of motion (ROM), and bone age; intra-operative lesion grade/size; and post-operative ROM, Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic (KJOC) Overhead Athlete Shoulder and Elbow score, and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) score.Results:All patients were treated with initial diagnostic arthroscopy. 14/17 patients were definitively treated with arthroscopic debridement and marrow stimulation/microfracture. 3/17 patients required open treatment with two patients amendable to osteochondral fixation and one patient to open marrow stimulation/microfracture. 14/17 athletes returned to their sport post-operatively with 12/17 returning to the same level or higher, and 2/17 returning to a lower level of recreational play. 3/17 athletes did not return to sports but advised that this was by choice not due to their elbow OCD. Overall, there were significant improvements in elbow ROM post-operatively as well as excellent QuickDASH (average 1.9 ± 4.4) and KJOC scores (average 93 ± 8.0) seen amongst all athletes. There was no correlation between pre-operative lesion grade/size, bone age, or open versus arthroscopic treatment with outcome.Conclusion:Operative treatment of elbow OCD in adolescent athletes not only leads to high return to sports rates but also high levels of athletic and daily functional activity long term.
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