Abstract
The histological findings of the patellar cartilage were compared between cases of chondromalacia, which occurs predominantly in young persons (22 patients, average age 19.8 years) and cases of osteoarthritis, which is common among the elderly (21 patients, average age 65.4 years). The histological findings of cartilage in the chondromalacia were characterized by increased density and vigorous fibrous metaplasia of chondrocytes. These findings may be considered to represent a reactive change in the chondrocyte. Cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis, by contrast, is regressive and presents a clearly different histological picture from that of chondromalacia patellae. We conclude that chondromalacia does not easily lead to osteoarthritis. On the other hand, the cartilage was characteristically softened, as observed by gross inspection, and showed rarefaction of the cartilage matrix. It should be noted that the change was not observed in aging, but showed a pattern of cartilage degeneration peculiar to young patients with chondromalacia patellae.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Meachim G, Emery IH (1974) Quantitative aspects of patellofemoral cartilage fibrillation in Liverpool necropsies. Ann Rheum Dis 33:39–47
Merchant AC (1990) Patellofemoral malalignment and instabilities in articular cartilage and knee joint function. In: Ewing JW (ed) Basic science and arthroscopy. Raven, New York, pp 79–91
Fulkerson JP, Hungerford DS (1990) Disorders of the patellofemoral joint, 2nd ed. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore
Ficat RP, Hungerford DS (1977) Disorders of the patellofemoral joint. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore
Goodfellow J, Hungerford DS, Woods C (1976) Patellofemoral joint mechanics and pathology. II Chondromalacia patellae. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 58:291–299
Hirakawa M, Mori Y, Kubo M, Kuroki Y (1988) Biochemical study on collagen from the unstable patella joint capsules. J Tokyo Knee Society 9:339–343
Mankin HJ, Dorfman H, Lippiello L, Zarins A (1971) Biomechanical and metabolic abnormalities in articular cartilage from osteoarthritic human hips. II. Correlation of morphology with biochemical and metabolic data. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 53:523–537
Kulowski J (1933) Chondromalacia of the patella. Fissural cartilage degeneration; traumatic chondropathy: report of three cases. JAMA 100:1837–1840
Aleman O (1928) Chondromalacia posttraumatica patella, Acta Chir Scand 63:149–189
Bentley G (1985) Articular cartilage changes in chondromalacia patellae. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 67:769–774
Shoji J, Sakai S, Granda IL (1974) Chondromalacia patellae. Histologic and biochemical aspects. NY J Med 14:507–510
Mankin HJ (1984) The articular cartilage, cartilage healing and osteoarthritis. In: Cruess RL, Rennie WRJ (eds) adult orthopaedics. Churchill Livingstone, New York, pp 163–270
Meachim G (1963) The effect of scarification on articular cartilage in the rabbit. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 45:150–161
Rosenberg L (1971) Chemical bases for the histochemical use of safranin-D in the study of articular cartilage. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 53:69–82
Calandruccio RA, Gilmer WS Jr, (1962) Proliferation, regeneration and repair of articular cartilage of immature animal. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 44:431–455
Coventry FR, Akeson WK, Keown GH (1972) The repair of large osteochondral defect in experimental study in horses. Clin Orthop 82:253–262
Bentley G, Dowd G (1984) Current concepts of etiology and treatment of chondromalacia patellae. Clin Orthop 189:208–228
Muir H (1978) Cartilage structure and metabolism and basic changes in degenerative joint disease. Aust NZJ Med 8 [Suppl 9]:1–5
Mitchell N, Lee FR, Shepard N (1992) The clones of osteoarthritic cartilage. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 74:33–38
Mori Y, Kubo M, Okumo H, Kuroki Y (1993) A scanning electron microscopic study of the degenerative cartilage in patellar chondropathy. Arthroscopy 9:247–264
Beighton P, Grahame R, Bird H (1983) Hypermobility of joints. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mori, Y., Kubo, M., Okumo, H. et al. Histological comparison of patellar cartilage degeneration between chondromalacia in youth and osteoarthritis in aging. Knee Surg, Sports traumatol, Arthroscopy 3, 167–172 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01565477
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01565477