A 50-year-old African national suffering from Synovial Chondromatosis was successfully treated at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi

Diagnosed with a rare condition, Synovial Chondromatosis, associated with the hip joint, a 50-year-old man from Africa was successfully treated at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. Synovial Chondromatosis is a rare, benign condition of the hip where the lining of the joint (synovium) proliferates and undergo a metaplasia (an abnormal change in tissue) to produce either cartilaginous or bony loose bodies inside the joint. It can severely damage joints, causing osteoarthritis leading to lifelong disability. The condition has tendency to recur and largely effect the knee joint.

In this case, the patient had been suffering from acute pain in the right hip for the past 6 months. The pain had advanced into inability to walk or move. He was advised surgery back in his native country Uganda, however he opted to come to India for further investigations. He was referred to Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, in India, New Delhi, where he consulted Dr (Prof.) Raju Vaishya, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement. Dr Vaishya diagnosed him with this rare condition and recommended an immediate total hip replacement surgery of left hip. He was admitted to the hospital on 16th, June, 2022.

Speaking on the same Dr (Prof.) Raju Vaishya, Senior Consultant, Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi said, “Primary Synovial Chondromatosis is a rare, benign condition of the joint that involves the lining of the joint (synovium). Only a handful such cases have been reported in the world literature, so far. The exact cause of this condition is still not known and the probable hypothesis points toward previous trauma or inflammatory joint disease.

This was an extremely rare case of Synovial Chondromatosis in the hip joint. This 50-year-old patient was in acute pain and was unable to walk. He had a history of left hip dislocation from 20 years ago for which he was managed conservatively and had been asymptomatic till 6 months back. The condition can be fatal, therefore he was recommended a total hip replacement surgery with subtotal synovectomy and removal of multiple loose bodies. The post-operative period was uneventful and he was discharged after thirteen days on 29th, June, 2022. Post-surgery the patient is doing well, walking with a stick and is continuing physiotherapy.”

The root cause of Primary Synovial Chondromatosis is still unknown. The disease most commonly occurs in the knees followed by the hips, elbows and shoulders. Most people who develop symptoms of Primary Synovial Chondromatosis are men between the age of 30 and 50. Women have a lower risk of developing Primary Synovial Chondromatosis than men. Rarely, it can transform into malignancy.