What causes Familial osteochondritis dissecans ?
What causes osteochondritis dissecans? In most cases, the exact underlying cause of osteochondritis dissecans is not completely understood. Scientists suspect that it may be due to decreased blood flow to the end of the affected bone, which may occur when repetitive episodes of minor injury and/or stress damage a bone overtime. In some families, osteochondritis dissecans is caused by changes (mutations) in the ACAN gene. In these cases, which are referred to as familial osteochondritis dissecans, the condition generally affects multiple joints and is also associated with short stature and early-onset osteoarthritis. The ACAN gene encodes a protein that is important to the structure of cartilage. Mutations in this gene weaken cartilage, which leads to the various signs and symptoms of familial osteochondritis disssecans.