Elbow, Osteochondritis Dissecans of the

Dennis E. Kramer

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow is an acquired injury to the outer end of the humerus (arm bone) in the elbow joint. The part of the humerus most commonly injured is called the capitellum . The OCD lesion occurs in the bone directly underneath the cartilage of the capitellum and can be thought of as a stress fracture to a small area of the bone. After the injury, this area of the capitellum is not strong enough to support the cartilage over the top of it. If the injury progresses, eventually the cartilage over the top of the OCD can crack. OCD of the elbow is most commonly seen in gymnasts and baseball pitchers, who place high stress on their elbows during sports. Elbow OCD does not usually result from a single injury but is thought to be an overuse syndrome occurring from repetitive microtrauma to the capitellum. The ...

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