Dawaa Reference

Clinical reference

Osteochondritis dissecans

Treatment options, dosing, cautions and Egyptian brands from the shipped Dawaa Reference card.

Evidence status

Checked against the sources named below

Sources3 sources

ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class LD77.02 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care · Osteochondritis Dissecans - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526091/

Verified against1 document
  • No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

Verified date2026-08

Presentation reference

Is it this?

Reference only, to read alongside your own examination.

Symptoms — what the patient reports (4)

  • Some cases are found incidentally on imaging in a patient with no complaints
  • Others recall a remote, mild joint ache that settled on its own without treatment [joint pain]
  • Most present months to a year after mild joint pain begins, with or without a specific injury [joint pain]
  • A loose fragment causes more severe pain along with locking, swelling, and a sense the joint is unstable [locking]

Signs — what you find (1)

  • Tenderness to palpation, painful or reduced range of motion, and swelling or effusion are found on exam [reduced range of movement]

Tests (6)

  • Plain x-rays are the first imaging step and show an oval lucent area in the bone under the joint surface with surrounding dense bone
  • X-rays cannot show whether the fragment is stable and tend to underestimate how big the lesion really is
  • MRI confirms the diagnosis and is highly accurate for judging whether the fragment is stable
  • A fluid-intensity rim of at least 5 mm at the fragment-bone interface on MRI suggests the lesion is unstable
  • A cartilage defect of 5 mm or more overlying the lesion also points to instability on MRI
  • CT arthrography is a fallback when MRI cannot be done, though it is less sensitive

If not this — what else fits (2)

  • Osteoarthritis is on the differential for this joint pain
  • A meniscus tear is on the differential for this joint pain

SourceStatPearls "Osteochondritis Dissecans" - disease-level clinical article

Presentation findings are traced to the source above.

1

NO DRUG THERAPY IN PRIMARY CARE (REFERRAL & ADVICE)

1st line
Adult dose and duration

A focal area of bone and overlying cartilage that loses its blood supply and can separate to form a loose body, typically in the knee, ankle, or elbow of young athletes; needs orthopedic referral for imaging and possible surgical management, with the GP providing interim analgesia. - Refer, with advice

Paediatric dose

Children follow the same pathway: recognise and refer. No primary-care medicine is implied.

Dose source

No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

Why

A focal area of bone and overlying cartilage that loses its blood supply and can separate to form a loose body, typically in the knee, ankle, or elbow of young athletes; needs orthopedic referral for imaging and possible surgical management, with the GP providing interim analgesia.

Cautions
  • Joint locking, catching, or a palpable loose body, and any significant effusion — these support prompt referral.
  • No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care - this entry is for recognition and referral. Anything given is decided by the service it is referred to.

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.