Synovial Disorders of the Hip

Abstract

The hip is a synovial joint, which is defined as a cavity surrounded by a joint capsule. The hip joint capsule is lined by a thin tissue, synovium, which produces synovial fluid that functions to lubricate the joint. Benign synovial disorders of the hip are rare pathologies that can cause chronic pain and lead to significant damage of the hip joint. Two of the more common synovial disorders include synovial chondromatosis and tenosynovial giant cell tumor. Synovial chondromatosis results from metaplasia and typically presents with multiple intra-articular loose cartilaginous bodies. Tenosynovial giant cell tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue within the synovium caused by an overexpression of the growth factor CSF1 and typically presents with hip pain, swelling, and loss of function. Surgical management continues to be the cornerstone of management for these pathologies with excellent results.