Return to Sport After Surgical Treatment of Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans Lesions in Baseball Players: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Am J Sports MedMay 30, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchOrthopedic Surgery
Ryan W Paul, Benyamin Anton, Gregory Casalino et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated return to sport (RTS) rates after surgical treatment of capitellar osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in youth baseball players. Among 389 players, RTS was highest after autologous osteochondral transplantation (96%) compared to other surgical methods. The study highlights the effectiveness of different surgical strategies in improving RTS outcomes.
Key findings
- RTS rates were 96% after autologous osteochondral transplantation compared to 89% for fixation and 84% for debridement/loose-body removal ± microfracture (P = .022).
- 52% of pitchers were able to return to pitching post-surgery.
- Fixation procedures improved elbow extension ROM by 8° compared to 3° for autologous osteochondral transplantation (P = .013).
- Timmerman-Andrews scores improved significantly more with fixation (71) and autologous osteochondral transplantation (58) than with bone peg grafting (26; P < .001).
Why it matters
Understanding the RTS outcomes associated with different surgical treatments for capitellar OCD lesions can guide clinicians in making informed decisions and counseling young athletes about their recovery and return to play.