[Histopathology of bone and cartilage lesions in reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the knee. Apropos of 16 cases].

In 16 cases of reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the knee, the authors obtained by drill biopsy 29 bone samples from the epiphyseal and metaphyseal regions of the femur and tibia and 8 cartilagenous samples (including 6 by arthrotomy and 2 after patellectomy). They noted thinning of the cortical bone, lacunae of cortical reabsorption, rarefaction of the trabeculae, of which some were dead, stasis and fibrosis of the bone marrow. The 8 cartilage samples were pathological, with, in particular, fibrosis of the surface cartilage (vascular pannus formation). The association of chondromalacia of the patella with an S.R.D. syndrome of the knee is frequent.