Primary synovial chondromatosis of the hip – is arthroscopy sufficient? A review of the literature and a case report

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to evaluate the different techniques of operative treatment of primary synovial chondromatosis (PSC) of the hip. We performed a systematic review of literature of PSC and also present one case report about arthroscopic treatment of PSC. Our study compares both established operative procedures, open versus arthroscopic surgery, and shows each advantages and complications. One hundred and forty-seven publications were found in a PubMed literature review searching the terms: “synovial chondromatosis”, “synovial osteochondromatosis”, “synovial metaplasia” and “hip”. All included studies were divided into open surgery or arthroscopic surgery concerning the therapeutic strategy and the corresponding results. We could find a total number of 3 reviews about PSC of the hip relating to operative procedures. One patient presented to our outpatient clinic with PSC. After other pathologies causing hip pain were excluded, the patient underwent hip arthroscopy with excision of the loose bodies and partial synovectomy. Diagnosis of PSC was confirmed by histopathology. The patient was examined before and one year after surgery with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Hip Outcome Score (HOS ADL). Resecting PSC by hip arthroscopy is a minor surgical, but demanding procedure with minimal risks, even useful in the treatment of elderly patients with moderate osteoarthritis.