What to Expect from Cartilage Repair Surgery for Osteochondritis Dissecans

Osteochondritis dissecans can affect the bone and cartilage at a joint surface, often the knee or ankle. The surgeon reviews scans and examines whether the cartilage is stable, damaged or separated. Depending on those findings, cartilage repair surgery may involve stabilising a cartilage-and-bone fragment, smoothing an unstable area, drilling to encourage healing, or restoring the surface with a graft. The exact method depends on lesion size, location, joint stability and your age.

The procedure is commonly performed through small incisions with a camera, although an open approach may be needed for some repairs. Anaesthesia and the expected hospital stay are discussed beforehand. Pain, swelling and stiffness are common early experiences; they do not by themselves show whether the repair has healed.

Before surgery, tell the team about medicines, allergies, smoking, other illnesses and previous operations. Arrange help at home, transport, and any crutches or brace recommended for your joint. Follow the instructions about eating, medicines and skin preparation.

Afterward, protect the repair exactly as directed. You may need limited weight-bearing or a brace while the joint settles. Elevation, prescribed pain relief and cold therapy can help with early swelling when used according to instructions. Physiotherapy usually starts with safe movement and muscle activation, then progresses to strength, balance and joint-specific activity. Return to running, jumping or sport should wait for the surgeon and physiotherapist to confirm that healing and control are adequate.

Contact the surgical team promptly for worsening pain or swelling, fever, drainage or increasing redness at the wound, a new calf swelling, or pain that is not controlled by the prescribed plan. Seek emergency care for sudden breathlessness, chest pain, fainting, or a cold, pale or numb limb. Follow-up appointments and imaging help the team check healing and adjust rehabilitation.

Ask which part of the joint is affected, whether the fragment is stable, which repair technique is planned, how long weight-bearing will be restricted, and when physiotherapy and driving can begin. Also ask what symptoms should trigger an urgent call and how progress will be assessed.