Localized pigmented villonodular synovitis of the knee: Diagnosis and arthroscopic resection

Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVS) is a condition of unknown etiology characterized by a local or diffuse thickening of the synovial membrane. Its coloration depends on the iron cellular deposits. The term PVS was first introduced by Jaffe in 1941 (1). The localized form was first described by Chassaignac (2) in 1852 in the tendinous sheath (giantcell tumor). In 1956, Simon (3) described the same condition in the knee. With the use of arthroscopy, several authors have described the arthroscopic appearance of PVS (4-7). Arthroscopic resection was first reported by Flandry et al. (5) in 1986. We report a case in which the clinical diagnosis was of a meniscal lesion. Arthroscopy, however, revealed the existence of a pedunculated tumor in the meniscocapsular union. The tumor was resected arthroscopically and was confirmed to be a localized pigmented villonodular synovitis (LPVS).