Synovial Chondromatosis of Hand and Wrist: A Case Series

Synovial chondromatosis commonly involves larger joints in the body, like the knee, elbow and hip. Upper extremity small joint involvement is rare and limited to case reports in the literature. Non-specific clinical and radiological features are a diagnostic challenge, often delaying accurate diagnosis. We present a series of five patients with intra- and extra-articular synovial chondromatosis of the hand and wrist treated by open as well as arthroscopic methods. The treating surgeon must consider it as a differential diagnosis for swellings around the hand and wrist. A review of literature and our experience from these cases suggests that excision/loose body removal in cases of synovial chondromatosis must be supplemented with a total/subtotal synovectomy to reduce the incidence of recurrence. Level of Evidence: Level V (Therapeutic).