Osteochondritis Dissecans Treatment

Prolotherapy as an Alternative Treatment for Osteochondritis Dissecans: Two Cases of Young Baseball Players

Ross Hauser, MD Prolotherapy as an alternative treatment for osteochondritis dissecans: two cases of young baseball players. Journal of Prolotherapy. 2011;3(1):568-571.

Abstract

Osteochondritis dissecans involves the separation of a segment of cartilage and subchondral bone, found most commonly in the knee, elbow, ankle and hip. Repetitive microtrauma from sports is a common cause especially among older adolescents and teenagers. To provide stability of the articular cartilage fragment, rest, splinting to surgery is often prescribed. While Prolotherapy has a long history for being used for osteoarthritis and other cartilage problems, this is the first dual case report on its use in osteochondritis dissecans. Both patients were young teenagers who, because of sports, developed osteochondritis dissecans. One case involved the knee and the other involved the elbow. The patients’ abilities to continue to play sports while receiving Prolotherapy and after completing the treatment series, as well as MRI evidence of resolution of the osteochondritis dissecans speaks to the success of the Prolotherapy. Because this represents just two cases of osteochondritis dissecans, larger, more controlled studies are suggested to determine if Prolotherapy should be a first line therapy to consider in cases of osteochondritis dissecans.

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• Surgery
• NSAIDs
• Cortisone Shots
• R.I.C.E.