Hypertrophic synovial plica in the lateral side of the knee - A case report: Case report and literature review

TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of a 12-year-old boy with a painful, hypertrophic synovial plica on the lateral side of his knee, diagnosed and treated via arthroscopy.

Contribution

The case presents a rare lateral hypertrophic plica in a young, non-athlete patient with a history of trauma.

Findings

The patient showed significant improvement after arthroscopic treatment with no pain or motion restrictions.

Lateral hypertrophic plicae are less commonly reported than medial ones and are typically asymptomatic.

The case highlights the importance of considering synovial plicae in young patients with traumatic knee history.

Abstract

Plicae or synovial folds can be detected in different joints, especially around the knee. Synovial plicae pathologies are rare conditions with difficulty in diagnosis because of various symptoms overlapping with other diseases.

We reported a rare case of symptomatic hypertrophic synovial plica in the lateral side of the knee in a 12-year-old boy following a traumatic event almost two years before the surgery. The diagnosis and treatment were conducted by knee arthroscopy, and follow-up of the patients showed significant improvements with no pain or range of motion restrictions.

The reported case had a significantly lower age of presentations compared to most previously reported cases, and he was diagnosed with lateral knee hypertrophic plicae, while medial knee hypertrophic plicae are more commonly reported, which is considered rare findings. Contrary to previous studies of lateral plica, our case had a history of significant direct trauma, and he was not a professional athlete. Furthermore, based on evidence, hypertrophic synovial plicae are mostly asymptomatic, but in our case, there was a pain in his knee that worsened in flexion.

Physicians should consider the possibility of synovial hypertrophic plicae, especially in younger patients with histories of direct traumatic events.

•knee hypertrophic plicae are rare and often asymptomatic conditions that are found accidentally during knee arthroscopic evaluations.•Based on evidence, hypertrophic synovial plicae are usually asymptomatic but our case experienced localized pain and tenderness in the knee with increased severity in flexion.•This case presented at a younger age than previous cases and was diagnosed with lateral knee hypertrophic plicae, which is less commonly reported than medial knee hypertrophic plicae.•Contrary to previous studies of lateral plica, our case had a significant direct trauma and he was not a professional athlete.•Physicians should consider the possibility of synovial hypertrophic plicae, especially in younger patients with histories of direct traumatic events.

knee hypertrophic plicae are rare and often asymptomatic conditions that are found accidentally during knee arthroscopic evaluations.

Based on evidence, hypertrophic synovial plicae are usually asymptomatic but our case experienced localized pain and tenderness in the knee with increased severity in flexion.

This case presented at a younger age than previous cases and was diagnosed with lateral knee hypertrophic plicae, which is less commonly reported than medial knee hypertrophic plicae.

Contrary to previous studies of lateral plica, our case had a significant direct trauma and he was not a professional athlete.

Physicians should consider the possibility of synovial hypertrophic plicae, especially in younger patients with histories of direct traumatic events.

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