Osteoarthritis Causes and Pathology

Causes of osteoarthritis:
Primary osteoarthritis causes is unknown. Its development is a long-term, chronic, progressive pathological process, and involving a number of systemic and local factors. possible causes of osteoarthritis including cartilage nutrition, metabolic disorders; biomechanical aspects of balance and change; enzyme abnormality of the cartilage matrix degradation; the accumulation of minor trauma.

Pathology of osteoarthritis:
The earliest pathological changes of osteoarthritis occurred in the articular cartilage. Encountered first, articular cartilage softening occurred, erosion, and finally exposed subchondral bone, secondary periosteum, joint capsule and muscles around the joints change. So that the articular surface of the biological stress disorder, and some parts of the stress with a larger, some smaller parts of a vicious cycle of increasing disease.

1. Arthroscopy, the normal articular cartilage was light blue and white, transparent, smooth surface, flexible, structured edge in early arthritis, cartilage surface becomes yellow and dull, and then the cartilage surface roughness, softening occurred, loss of elasticity and collagen fibrosis. Activity in the joint wear and tear, cartilage fragments, endarterectomy. Loss of heterogeneity of cartilage matrix, collagen fibers show now, cartilage cells, swelling and disintegration. Normal chondrocytes with changes in cartilage erosion, exfoliation, cartilage thinning.

2. Cartilage wear and tear of the central part of the largest increase in bone density, trabecular thickening, showing changes in the quality of ivory. Smaller parts under external stress, subchondral bone atrophy, cystic changes occur. Trabecular damage due to absorption, so that the expansion of cysts, surrounded by osteoblasts and the formation of hardening reaction wall. In the cartilage or tendon attached to the edge, the result of angiogenesis, through the cartilage with bone, osteophyte osteophyte formation or the breakdown of articular cartilage, such as endarterectomy, may be the formation of intra-articular loose bodies.

3. Synovium, synovial pathological changes, there are two types.