Conceptos actuales en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las lesiones del hueso subcondral

Abstract

Subchondral bone pathology includes a wide range of pathologies, such as osteoarthritis, spontaneous insufficiency fractures, osteonecrosis, and trauma. They show typical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings termed bone marrow lesions (BMLs). However, the etiology and evolution of BMLs in multiple conditions remains unclear. There is still no gold standard treatment protocol in treating BML, and a variety of treatment modalities have been tested in the hope that they might reduce pain and stop disease progression.

Our purpose was to write a current concepts review about diagnosis and treatment options for BMLs. A literature review was performed that included searches of PubMed, Cochrane, and Medline databases using the following keywords: Bone marrow lesions, subchondral bone, subchondroplasty, bone marrow concentrate, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), subchondral bone augmentation.

The use of novel biologic techniques to treat BMLs, such as PRP and Bone Marrow Cells, has yielded promising clinical outcomes. Future research of BMLs will be mandatory to address the different pathologies better and determining appropriate treatment strategies. There is still a need for high-quality RCTs studies and systematic reviews in the future to enhance further treatment strategy in preventing or treating BMLs of the knee.