How serious is a subchondral fracture?
Subchondral insufficiency fractures are slowly healing fractures of the bone situated immediately below the cartilage of a joint. The prognosis may range from full recovery to rapidly escalating joint destruction.
How do you fix a subchondral fracture?
Subchondroplasty is a technique indicated for treatment of early subchondral fractures or stress related marrow edema associated with osteoarthritis and involves the injection of synthetic calcium phosphate into the trabecular space, providing mechanical support.
What’s a subchondral fracture?
Subchondral insufficiency fractures (SIF) are a type of stress fracture which occurs below the cartilage on the weight bearing surface of a bone. SIF occur when normal physiological forces are repeatedly applied to an area of bone compromised by non-tumorous disease, resulting in fracture.
What is a subchondral fracture of the clavicle?
A distal clavicular subchondral fracture is a common finding in patients with imaging evidence of distal clavicular osteolysis. These subchondral fractures may be responsible for the propensity of findings occurring on the clavicular side of the acromioclavicular joint.
How long does it take an insufficiency fracture to heal?
Healing of these fractures usually occurs within 4 months of medical therapy.
Where is the subchondral bone?
“Subchondral bone” is bone that sits underneath cartilage in a joint. Subchondral bone is found in large joints like the knees and hips, as well as in small joints like those of the hands and feet. “Sclerosis” refers to an unusual increase in the density or hardness of a tissue in the body.
Where is subchondral bone located?
Anatomy and physiology of subchondral bone The subchondral bone is located deep to the articular cartilage, but remains connected to it through a layer of calcified cartilage.
Do insufficiency fractures heal?
It can happen at any age, but most younger patients will heal on their own with rest and time. Older adults and those with conditions such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are at higher risk for an insufficiency fracture becoming chronic, meaning that it has not healed after about three months.