Osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow.

Osteochondritis dissecans affects the elbow of many young, skeletally immature athletes. The incidence of OCD in the elbow is second to its occurrence in the knee and similar to the incidence in the ankle. Young, athletically active individuals are at increased risk for developing this problem. There is a predilection for those involved in overhead-dominant sports and sports that require the arm to be a weight-bearing limb. The diagnosis is occurring earlier because of an increased awareness of the entity and the increased use of advanced imaging techniques, primarily magnetic resonance imaging. This earlier diagnosis has led to an increase in treatment ideas and modalities and ultimately improved care and outcomes.