[Pathomorphologic aspects of the conservative therapy of arthroses]

The paper reviews the different ways in which osteoarthrosis can occur. Structural alterations that take place in the subchondral bone or in the collagenous network of the superficial or mid-zone cartilage can be regarded as the initial events leading to injuries of the chondrocytes. Loss of cartilage either due to increased enzymatic degradation and/or reduced synthesis of proteoglycans may follow. The hypothetical influence of pharmacotherapy on several pathogenetic steps is discussed. However, from the viewpoint of a pathologist, it is concluded that there is no pharmacotherapeutic regimen that can significantly influence the natural course of the disease.