Recovery and Return to Sport in Pediatric Osteochondral Defects of the Knee: Evaluating the Influence of Lesion Size

This study investigates how lesion size affects patient characteristics, treatment decisions, and recovery outcomes in pediatric patients with osteochondral defects (OCDe) of the knee. The authors hypothesized that larger lesions would lead to worse outcomes and delayed return-to-sport (RTS) compared to smaller lesions. Results indicated that while lesion size influenced surgical choices, it did not significantly affect mid-term patient-reported outcomes, although smaller lesions were associated with quicker recovery times in the absence of ligament injuries.