2. Understand the pathogenesis of osteochondritis[]
Osteochondritis is a broad term encompassing a group of conditions affecting the areas of growth at the epiphyses and apophyses of bones before skeletal maturity. The diseases can be grouped into three main types:
Crushing
- Köhler's disease: - Softening of the navicular bone causes it to fragment before healing and hardening.
- Kienböck's disease: - Avascular necrosis of the lunate bone of the hand
- Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease: - Link
- Scheuermann's disease: - The normal ossification ring epiphyses of several thoracic vertebrae become temporarily softened. As the forces on the anterior border of the vertebrae are greatest, a kyphotic deformity of the spine occurs.
Splitting
- Osteochondritis dissecans: - A segment of subchondral bone and cartilage becomes avascular and separates from the underlying bone, forming a loose body.
Pulling
- Osgood-Schlatter disease: - link
- Sever's disease: - calcaneal apophysitis, likely resulting from strained attachment of the Achilles tendon