Eburnation is a degenerative process of bone commonly found in patients with

osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the ...

or non-union of

fractures Fracture is the separation of an object or material into two or more pieces under the action of stress. The fracture of a solid usually occurs due to the development of certain displacement discontinuity surfaces within the solid. If a displ ...

. Friction in the joint causes the reactive conversion of the sub-chondral bone to an ivory-like surface at the site of the cartilage erosion. The word eburnation in fact comes from Latin ''eburneus'', which means "of ivory" Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease of the joints characterized largely by central loss of cartilage and compensatory peripheral bone formation (

osteophyte Osteophytes are exostoses (bony projections) that form along joint margins. They should not be confused with enthesophytes, which are bony projections that form at the attachment of a tendon or ligament. Osteophytes are not always distinguished ...

s). Over time, as the cartilage wears away, bare, subchondral bone is revealed. Eburnation describes the bony sclerosis which occurs at the areas of cartilage loss.

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Primary osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis
Skeletal disorders {{musculoskeletal-disease-stub