PIGMENTED VILLONODULAR SYNOVITIS IN CHILDREN - A CASE-REPORT

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVS) is a rare disease of the synovi al layer in joints, seen particularly in children. Early diagnosis all ows treatment with resection of the affected synovial tissue, avoiding secondary osteoarthritic lesions of the normally unaffected joint str uctures. In this article, symptoms, clinical findings, and the diagnos is procedure are reported in a rare case of diffuse PVS in an 11-year- old girl. Diagnostic procedures are of differing value, and it seems t hat the most important factor is suspicion of this disease even in chi ldren. Since preoperative verification of the histological diagnosis i s impossible, early invasive investigation such as arthroscopy are rec ommended to confirm the histological character of the lesion. Arthroto my or arthroscopy followed by total synovectomy is recommended as the surgical treatment of first choice. Our patient was treated by total s ynovectomy via an arthrotomy of the affected knee joint after histolog ical diagnosis has been confirmed by arthroscopic excision and histolo gical analysis. Follow-up examinations 4 and 6 months postoperatively revealed no signs of recurrence.