Diagnosis and Arthroscopic Treatment of Synovial Chondromatosis of Glenohumeral Joint: A Case Report

INTRODUCTION: Synovial chondromatosis is a rare benign entity with the presence of cartilaginous or osseous loose bodies in the synovium. It commonly involves the larger joints such as the knee, hip, ankle and rarely the shoulder joint manifesting with pain, swelling, and restriction of movements. The treatment of choice is surgical intervention in symptomatic patients using either the open or the arthroscopic approach. CASE REPORT: Here, we report a rare case of synovial chondromatosis affecting the right shoulder joint in a 23-year-old male with a 5-year disease duration who presented with progressive pain and restriction in movements which were impacting his routine activities. The loose bodies were removed using the arthroscopic approach combined with a partial synovectomy, and intra-articular methylprednisolone post procedure. The patient showed an excellent recovery in joint mobility within 4 weeks post-operatively, and there were no clinical signs of recurrence during a 6-month follow-up period. CONCLUSION: We believe that arthroscopic surgery is effective in the treatment of patients with synovial chondromatosis with advantages such as good visualization, lesser morbidity, and early return of functional activities.