[Free bodies in the knee joint. Etiology, clinical course and therapeutic plan].

Free bodies are supposed to induce degenerative joint disease. The etiological mechanism, as far as known, of the most important and frequent diseases with corpora libera osteochondrosis dissecans, osteochondral and chondral fracture, chondromatosis and osteoarthrosis are discussed. The diagnostic and therapeutic methods are described. The need for surgical therapy is obvious in cases with chronical synovial irritation. The opportunity to reimplant a loose body into the joint surface should be taken. The technique and the results of sticking the fragments to reconstruct the joint surface are demonstrated.