The incidence of osteochondritis dissecans in the condyles of the femur was studied in a defined population and was found to be twice as common in men as in women; the maximum incidence in both sexes being between the ages of 10 and 20. The site of the lesion in the condyles did not differ between age groups. The indicence of diagnosied cases has increased somewhat in recent years but only in men. The incidence in the population is less than has been suggested in the past.

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Thirty patients with osteochondritis dissecans of the ankle have been followed up for an average of 21 years. The histories and radiographs were revi#{231}wed, and it was found that most patients had only minor radiographic changes and symptoms. Two patients had developed osteoarthritis but in only one was this severe Osteochondritis dissecans in the ankle thus seems to differ from the same lesion in the knee where late osteoarthritis often occurs. Two lesions were located on the joint surface of the distal tibia, a site not previously reported. The natural history of osteochondritis dissecans of the ankle has not been widely studied, although the results of its treatment have been extensively reported osteochondritis dissecans of the talus were found. Of these, 30 patients were still living in the city and were

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We studied the appearance and frequency of the medial epiarticular osteophyte in human femoral heads. Specimens were sampled from 24 men and 31 women who underwent total hip arthroplasty. On radiography, medial epiarticular osteophytes were present in two thirds of the cases. However, histological examination revealed endochondral ossification in all. Presumably, the bone formation was preceded by the formation of canals and cavities containing vessels. Due to the ossification around these canals and cavities, the histological picture frequently featured two layers of cartilage with bone in the middle. Also in the marginal osteophytes, bone was formed by endochondral ossification. However, this bone appeared more irregular. The new bone formation most likely indicates a reactivated growth as an attempt to repair the osteoarthritic lesions rather than a process of degradation.Résumé Nous avons étudié l'apparence et la fréquence de l'ostéophyte épiarticulaire médial dans les têtes fémo-rales humaines. Les spécimens ont été prélevés chez 24 hommes et 31 femmes qui ont subi une arthroplastie totale de la hanche. Sur les radiographies, ces ostéophytes étaient présents dans deux cas sur trois et l'examen histologique a révélé de l'ossification endochondrale dans tous les cas. Vraisemblablement la formation de l'os a été précédée par la formation de canaux et cavités qui contiennent des vaisseaux. A cause de l'ossification autour ces canaux et cavités, l'image histologique a fré-quemment montré deux couches de cartilage entourant une couche osseuse. Dans les ostéophytes marginaux, l'os a aussi été formé par ossification endochondrale. Cependant, cet os a paru plus irrégulier. La nouvelle formation osseuse indique très probablement une croissance réactivée comme une tentative pour réparer les lésions arthrosiques, plutôt qu'un processus de dégénération.