Progressive bilateral lipoma arborescens of the knee complicated by juvenile spondyloarthropathy: A case report and review of the literature

Successful use of adalimumab as a conservative treatment for bilateral knee lipoma arborescens in patient with psoriatic juvenile idiopathic arthritis - case report and review of literature

Lipoma arborescens (LA) is a chronic, slowly progressive intra-articular mass associated with the proliferation of synovial villi. It can affect one or several joints and has been commonly described in adults with degenerative joint disease. Most patients have been diagnosed with MRI and/or biopsy findings and are usually treated with partial or total synovectomy. Case reports of LA in children, particularly with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are scarce. We present a 16-year-old girl with a prolonged course of psoriatic JIA (initial bilateral knee affection and subsequent involvement of wrists and elbows combined with psoriatic scalp lesions) and LA of both knees. Psoriatic JIA has been diagnosed at the age of 13, with immediate start of methotrexate (MTX) therapy. Several weeks later, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the right knee, performed with the aim of the most swollen joint additional evaluation, revealed synovial changes consistent with LA; arthroscopic biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. After two years of MTX treatment, despite the successful maintenance of minimal JIA activity except for repetitive bilateral knee swelling, control MRI revealed bilateral knee lesions identical to those described two years earlier in the right knee. Following the step-up approach in JIA treatment, the TNF inhibitor adalimumab was added in therapy. Finally, six months later, clinical reduction of both knees swelling was noticed with almost complete LA regression in the right, and partial regression in the left knee, confirmed by final MRI control. A conservative approach, including TNF inhibitors, instead of usually performing synovectomy, seems like a reasonable option in cases of LA with underlying JIA.

Medical image analysis of knee joint lipoma arborescens and arthroscopic treatment

OBJECTIVE

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure on a joint in which examination and treatment of knee damage is performed using a surgical device known as the arthroscope. Lipoma arborescens (LA), an infrequent intra-articular lesion, originates from mature adipose cells under subsynovial tissue. The synovial membrane is pale yellow with large villous projections. It is caused by various underlying factors. We found many patients with LA and processed them appropriately.The research was implemented to investigate therapeutic effect of semi-automated arthroscopic diagnosis and treatment for knee joint.

METHODS

We used the Stryker arthroscopic in surgery that is 4 mm in diameter with angle at 30°. Patients were chosen by biomechanical analysis and scanning mode. All of the patients underwent radiographic imaging examination, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Lysholm Score and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Arthroscopic limited synovectomy was carried out on these patients.

RESULTS

The wound of all patients healed up. The content of follow-up includes: chief complaints, range of motion of knee joint, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Lysholm score. No swollen nor effusion of the infected knee was found in all patients during the follow-up. The postoperative symptom was markedly alleviated in fourteen patients and partially alleviated in one. All patients were satisfied with the therapeutic effect.

CONCLUSION

We performed biomechanical analysis based on knee slight flexion and extension. Arthroscopy is an endoscope for the diagnosis and treatment of joint diseases. Semi-automated arthroscopic debridement is good for early and mid-term osteoarthritis with Lipoma arborescens.

Arthroscopic Synovectomy in Bilateral Lipoma Arborescens

Introduction:

Lipoma arborescens (LA) is an uncommon condition that consists of a villous lipomatous proliferation of the synovial membrane. Open synovectomy has been previously selected as a curative treatment option. In recent years, some authors have published good results with arthroscopic interventions. We describe a well-documented case of bilateral LA of the knees treated with staged arthroscopic synovectomy.

Case Report:

A 48-year-old North American woman without a history of trauma presented with recurrent effusions and mild pain in both knee joints for many years. Magnetic resonance imaging examinations confirmed the diagnosis of bilateral LA with multiple villous lipomatous synovial proliferations pattern. Degenerative changes of the medial meniscus were detected bilaterally. The patient underwent bilateral arthroscopic anterior synovectomy and partial medial meniscectomy of the knee with three portal techniques. Arthroscopic the knee joint contained a large number or finger-shaped synovial proliferations with yellowish good vascularized diffuse villous masses in the suprapatellar bursa and intercondylar fossa. The cartilage showed degenerative changes with Outerbridge Grade II to III, which was particularly severe in the femoropatellar compartment. Histopathological examination of the villous masses demonstrated papillary hypertrophy, slight hyperplasia, vascular hyperplasia with a slight degree of stromal fibrosis, and interstitial lymphoplasmacytic inflammation. The adipose cells were reduced in number in relation to a normal finding but had a normal aspect without any pathological changes. 25 months after the first operation, the patient reported pain relief with the preserved function. Magnetic resonance examination of both knee joints at the last follow-up showed no relapse of the disease. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score improved on the right knee joint from 39.3 preoperatively to 85.1 at the last follow-up, and on the left knee joint from 54.2 preoperatively to 86.3 at the last follow-up.

Conclusion:

Arthroscopic anterior synovectomy is an efficient method of achieving good results in LA with multiple villous lipomatous synovial proliferations pattern.

Lipoma Arborescens: Review of an Uncommon Cause for Swelling of the Knee

Lipoma arborescens is a rare cause of chronic monoarticular arthritis, with only a few cases reported in the literature. It is most commonly seen in the knee, but cases in other joints such as the wrist, shoulder, and elbow have also been described. It is a benign condition, in which the subsynovial tissue is replaced diffusely by mature fat cells. We describe a case involving the knee and discuss the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

Basic radiological assessment of synovial diseases: a pictorial essay

The synovium is a specialized tissue lining the synovial joints, bursae, and tendon sheaths of the body. It is affected by various localized or systemic disorders. Synovial diseases can be classified as inflammatory, infectious, degenerative, traumatic, hemorrhagic, and neoplastic. Damage in other intraarticular structures, particularly cartilages, generally occurs as a part of pathologic processes involving the synovium, leading to irreversible joint destruction. Imaging has an essential role in the early detection of synovial diseases prior to irreversible joint damage. Obtaining and understanding characteristic imaging findings of synovial diseases enables a proper diagnosis for early treatment. This article focuses on the recent literature that is related with the role of imaging in synovial disease.

Lipoma arborescens of the knee

PURPOSE

Lipoma arborescens (LA) is a benign lesion described as replacement of mature fat cells with sub-synovial tissue, which causes the formation of villous projections. Underlying inflammatory conditions might predispose LA. This study demonstrates the treatment, post-operative survey and MRI demonstrations of this rare entity.

METHODS

Five patients (6 knees) diagnosed and treated with arthroscopic (5/6) and open (1/6) synovectomy were reviewed retrospectively. An additional mini-transquadricipital incision is used for excision of the extensive suprapatellar lesions. The patients had post-operative follow-ups at first and sixth months and then yearly. Radiographs and MRI of the affected knees were taken at the final follow-up.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 59 (4-105) months. Major symptom was painless swelling of the joint. The presenting age was under 18 years in four patients. Recurrent lesions were detected in MRI scan of three patients with JRA, ARF and Tbc. Two out of three were located adjacent to the posterior capsule. The median of the Kujala questionnaire scores was 88 (74-95), and the median of the Knee Society Clinical Rating System scores was 95 (80-100) at the final follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Lipoma arborescens should be considered in the differential diagnosis of paediatric patients who have painless swelling of the knee joint. The lesion is totally curable. However, underlying persistent disease might aggravate the inflammatory process and might cause recurrent lesions. Although resecting the lesion adjacent to the posterior capsule of the knee joint is technically demanding, arthroscopic treatment is an effective procedure and transquadricipital approach may help resection of the extensive lesions in suprapatellar pouch.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Case series, Level IV.