Summary
This report is an anatomico-radiological study of six femoral heads excised from four patients with diffused ochronotic arthropathy. In one case a biopsy specimen taken eleven years earlier was also studied.
The deterioration of the ochronotic cartilage involves a fragmentation process reflected by histological characteristics that are different from those observed in common “cartilaginous degeneration”. The fragments resulting from this process become embedded in the remodelled bone-marrow tissue of the weight-bearing zone and in the synovial membrane. Except for the presence of pigmented cartilage, the intrinsic osteogenic remodelling and the extrinsic osteophytic remodelling (the latter often appearing in the form of minor equivalents) are similar to that of the common form of osteoarthrotic remodelling.
The pigment labelling of the ochronotic cartilage provides a particularly favorable opportunity to study the general problem of osteoarthrotic remodelling; it facilitates the differentiation between newly formed and preexisting tissue and consequently our understanding of the entire process.
An anatomico-radiological approach provides an explanation for the similarity frequently observed on X-rays between ochronotic and rheumatoid hip arthropathies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abelanet, R., Forest, M., Postel, M., Kerboull, M., Roux, J.-P., Daudet-Monsac, M.: Les aspects anatomo-cliniques des coxopathies destructrices rapides. A propos de 172 observations. Arch. Anat. Path. 22, 165–182 (1974)
Benedek, T.G.: Rudolph Virchow on ochronosis. Arthritis Rheum. 9, 66–71 (1966)
Dannenberg, A.M.: Macrophages in inflammation and infection. N. Engl. J. Med. 293, 489–493 (1975)
David-Chaussé, J., Dehais, J., Bullier, R., de Verdelhan des Molles, J.: Quatre cas d'ochronose alcaptonurique. Bordeaux Med. 11, 1173–1181 (1978)
Doerr, W.: Idiopathische Hüftkopfnekrose and Hyperurikämie. Verh. Dtsch. Ges. Pathol., 58, 408–411 (1974)
La Du, B.N.: Alcaptonuria. In: The metabolic basis of inherited disease, J.B. Stanbury, J.B., Wyngaarden, D.S., Fredrickson (eds.), 4th ed., pp. 268–282. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company 1978
Lagier, R.: L'approche anatomo-pathologique du concept d'arthrose. Rev. Rhum. Mal. Osteoartic. 39, 545–557 (1972)
Lagier, R.: Anatomo-pathologie des arthropathies ochronotiques. In: Arthropathia ochronotica, S., Sitaj und R., Lagier. Acta Rheumatologica et Balneologica Pistiniana, N∘ 7. Piestany 1973
Lagier, R.: An anatomicopathological approach to the study of articular aging. Fortschr. Röntgenstr. 124, 564–570 (1976)
Lagier, R., Bertrand, J.: Phagocytosis of chromium during patellar osteoarthritic remodelling associated with a knee prosthesis. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 382, 119–126 (1979)
Lagier, R., Boussina, I., Taillard, W., Sasfavian, A., Chafizadeh, M., Fallet, G.H.: Etude anatomoradiologique d'une arthropathie ochronotique du genou. Schweiz. Med. Wochenschr. 101, 1585–1590 (1971)
Lagier, R., Martin, E., Radi, I.: Modelés arthrosiques de la hanche et nécrose aseptique de la tête fémorale. Rev. Chir. Orthop. 58, 291–302 (1972)
Lagier, R., Steiger, U.: Hip arthropathy in ochronosis. Anatomic and radiologic study. Skeletal Radiol. (1980) (in press)
Lequesne, M., Amouroux, J.: La coxarthrose destructrice rapide. Presse Med. 78, 1435–1439 (1970)
Martin, E., Meyer, E.: L'alcaptonurie et l'ochronose. Bull. Schweiz. Akad. Med. Wiss. 17, 341–350 (1961)
Mohr, W., Richter, R.: Alkaptonurische Ochronose. Med. Welt 26, 393–398 (1975)
O'Brien, W.M., Banfield, W.G., Sokoloff, L.: Studies on the pathogenesis of ochronotic arthropathy. Arthritis Rheum. 4, 137–152 (1961)
O'Brien, W.M., La Du, B.N., Bunim, J.J.: Biochemical, pathologic and clinical aspects of alcaptonuria, ochronosis and ochronotic arthropathy. Review of world literature (1584–1962). Am. J. Med. 34, 813–838 (1963)
Régent, D., Colomb, J.N., Netter, P., Faure, G., Naoun, A.: Coxopathie ochronotique. Etude radiologique et scintigraphique. J. Radiol. Electrol. Med. Nucl. 58, 13–15 (1977)
Schumacher, H.R., Holdsworth, D.E.: Ochronotic arthropathy. I. Clinicopathologic studies. Semin. Arthritis Rheum. 6, 207–246 (1977)
Searle, J., Kerr, J.F.R.: Ochronotic arthropathy. Description of a case with observations on the mode of formation of an osteophyte. Med. J. Aust. 2, 713–715 (1971)
Sitaj, S.: Arthropathia ochronotica. In: Arthropathia ochronotica. S. Sitaj and R., Lagier. Acta Rheumatologica et Balneologica Pistiniana, N∘ 7. Piestany 1973
Steiger, U., Lagier, R.: Combined anatomical and radiological study of the hip-joint in alcaptonuric arthropathy. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 31, 369–373 (1972)
Virchow, R.: Ein Fall von allgemeiner Ochronose der Knorpel und knorpelähnlichen Theile. Virchows Arch. Pathol. Anat. 37, 212–219 (1866)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lagier, R. The concept of osteoarthrotic remodelling as illustrated by ochronotic arthropathy of the hip. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 385, 293–308 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432539
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432539