CASE REPORTS   

Chirurgia 2009 April;22(2):87-92

Copyright © 2009 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Diagnosis of synovial sarcoma of the knee, elici-ted by trauma. Ultrasound support to clinical sus-pect

Russo A.

Pronto Soccorso Chirurgico Presidio Ospedaliero Leopoldo Parodi Delfino ASL ROMA G, Colleferro, Roma

Synovial sarcoma accounts for 8-10% of all of the soft tissue sarcomas; it is characterized by high risk of local relapse, even after surgical complete excision, deceiving onset and slowly growth. Generally arising in the contest of joint or from immediately surrounding anatomical sites, it affects first of the inferior limbs (2/3). This article describes a sarcoma of the knee, elective anatomical site, accidentally diagnosed after traumatic event. Exhibiting a very poor five-year survey, (55%), related to dimension, distal or proximal arising, necrosis rate and grading, it is the most frequently misdiagnosed soft tissue malignancy with benign neoplasms, such as Baker cyst or villonodular pigmented synovitis, considering its deceiving macroscopic and chronological features; the differential diagnosis seems to be very hard, relying on histological biopsy. Though the normal conventional X-ray finding, after clinical examination and anamnesis an ultrasonographic investigation was urgently performed, which revealed the suspected nature of the lesion.