Many people suffer from bone marrow edema or insufficiency fractures. And the long term effects of these conditions can be serious. Edema and insufficiency fractures can injure a person’s bone marrow and cause a long list of medical complications.
Fortunately, there are a variety of medical treatments available to treat bone marrow edema and insufficiency fractures. People with the most chronic and severe cases may benefit from subchondroplasty, a treatment provided by a board certified orthopedic surgeon like Dr. Stacie Grossfeld. Subchondroplasty can improve a person’s pain and also decrease the number of physical limitations often associated with bone marrow edema or insufficiency fractures.
What are Insufficiency Fractures?
Insufficiency fractures are a type of stress fracture. They happen due to normal stress on a bone that is weak. Insufficiency fractures are more common in older people, and particularly in older women.
What Causes Bone Marrow Edemas?
When you suffer from edema, your blood cells go to the injured site, causing a pooling of fluids. Injuries such as fractures or broken bones result in bone marrow edema. They may also be the result of ligament injuries, bruising on bones or inflammation. Osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are regularly associated with bone marrow edema. Bone marrow edemas can negatively impact a person’s overall health. If you are suffering from this condition, seeking treatment is very important.
An Overview of Subchondroplasty as a Treatment for Edema
If you are experiencing edema, and you have not gotten better from medications and rest, you may benefit from subchondroplasty. Subchondroplasty, also known as SCP, is a procedure done for patients that have insufficiency fractures or bone marrow edema. Typically it occurs in patients with osteoarthritis. An MRI scan diagnoses it.
The surgical procedure is an outpatient procedure that takes about 20 minutes to complete. It involves a knee arthroscopy where a high definition television camera is inserted into the knee joint. A trocar, which is like a large needle, is injected into the area where bone marrow edema was identified on the preoperative MRI scan. Then a special type of bone graft is injected. The bone graft instantly heals the bone marrow edema or insufficiency fracture.
What to Expect after Subchondroplasty?
Following subchondroplasty, patients are able to bear weight immediately. And generally within 24 to 36 hours, people also experience a noticeable reduction in pain. Dr. Grossfeld has been performing subchondroplasty for about a year and while doing so has had excellent results. For more information and to schedule an appointment with Louisville orthopedic Dr. Stacie Grossfeld, call 502-212-2663.
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