Histopathological Spectrum of Synovitis in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Synovitis is a common manifestation of diverse inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint disorders. While clinical, radiological, and serological investigations aid diagnosis, they may be inconclusive, necessitating histopathological evaluation. Synovial biopsy remains the gold standard for etiological classification of synovitis. This study aimed to assess the histopathological spectrum of synovitis at a tertiary care hospital. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted over 18 months, including 130 synovial biopsy specimens. Biopsies obtained by open or image-guided techniques were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, routinely processed, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Special stains were performed where required. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results The mean age of patients was 33.06 ± 18.6 years, with a male predominance (60%). The knee joint was the most commonly involved site. Histopathological evaluation revealed septic arthritis as the most frequent diagnosis (29.23%), followed by tubercular synovitis (22.31%) and chronic non-specific synovitis (20%). Osteoarthritis (11.54%), rheumatoid arthritis (5.38%), and other less common entities constituted the remainder. Conclusion Synovitis demonstrates a wide histopathological spectrum, with infectious etiologies predominating in this cohort. Histopathological examination of synovial biopsy plays a pivotal role in definitive diagnosis and guides appropriate patient management.