Arthroscopic Management of Primary Synovial Chondromatosis of the Ankle: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Antoine Saber,1 Hafez Saade,1 Firas Hassan,1 Hady Ezzeddine,1 Wendy Ghanem,1 Ramzi Moucharafieh,1,2 Riad R Fakih1– 3 1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Balamand, Beirut, Lebanon; 2Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Clemenceau Medical Center Affiliated to Johns Hopkins Medical International, Beirut, Lebanon; 3Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Clemanceau Medical Center Affiliated to Johns Hopkins Medical International, Dubai, UAECorrespondence: Antoine Saber, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Balamand, Beirut, Lebanon, Email saberantoine@gmail.comAbstract: Synovial chondromatosis (SC) is a rare, benign condition characterized by the formation of cartilaginous nodules within the synovial membrane of joints. We present a case of primary SC of the ankle in a 49-year-old female who experienced persistent ankle pain and restricted range of motion. She was successfully treated with arthroscopic removal of loose bodies and synovial debridement. A review of the literature since 2010 was conducted to compare outcomes between open and arthroscopic management of ankle SC. The findings suggest that while both approaches are effective and have similar long term outcomes, arthroscopy may offer slight advantage in terms of reduced morbidity, faster rehabilitation, and improved patient satisfaction.Keywords: synovectomy, loose cartilaginous bodies, arthrotomy, synovium