Osteochondritis Dissecans and Loose Bodies of the Elbow: Arthroscopic Debridement, Bone Grafting, and Fixation

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow is a common sports-related disorder involving humeral capitellum in young athletes with overhead activity. If the osteochondral lesion progresses, the damaged articular cartilage detaches from the capitellum, producing painful osteochondral loose bodies and resulting in irreversible osteoarthritis. The primary treatment for OCD of the elbow is conservative therapy. However, surgical intervention is selected for cases resistant to conservative therapy or those that have progressed to a certain degree. In such cases, arthroscopy plays a significant role, as it allows direct visualization of the lesion via a minimally invasive approach, enabling final assessment and treatment decision. Arthroscopic loose body removal and lesion debridement are already common procedures, but recently, arthroscopy is being applied to repair treatments such as bone pegs grafting. This article explains the basic techniques for elbow arthroscopic surgery for elbow OCD and repair techniques using bone pegs grafting.