Arthroscopic treatment of synovial chondromatosis at the knee posterior septum using a trans-septal approach: report of two cases

Abstract

Synovial chondromatosis of the knee joint rarely develops in the posterior septum. Such cases are difficult to treat arthroscopically since the posterior septum is not readily accessible via standard portals. We report two cases of localized synovial chondromatosis in the posterior septum. We used a posterior trans-septal portal to arthroscopically remove the loose bodies and perform a concomitant synovectomy. The two cases were followed-up for 24 and 16 months after surgery, respectively, and the patients were found to be pain-free, have a full range of knee motion and showed no evidence of recurrence. A posterior trans-septal portal may be essential in some cases for treatment of synovial chondromatosis at the posterior septum.