Copyright
©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Orthop. Nov 18, 2014; 5(5): 566-573
Published online Nov 18, 2014. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v5.i5.566
Published online Nov 18, 2014. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v5.i5.566
Utility of arthroscopic guided synovial biopsy in understanding synovial tissue pathology in health and disease states
Mihir D Wechalekar, Malcolm D Smith, Rheumatology Research Unit, Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park SA 5041, Australia
Author contributions: Both authors contributed equally to this work.
Supported by National Health and Medical Research Council Medical and Dental Postgraduate Research Scholarship to Dr. Wechalekar, MD, No. APP1018009
Correspondence to: Malcolm D Smith, BSc (Hons), MBBS, FRACP, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Director of Rheumatology, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Rheumatology Research Unit, Repatriation General Hospital, Daws Road, Daw Park SA 5041, South Australia,Australia. malcolm.smith@health.sa.gov.au
Telephone: +61-8-82751819 Fax: +61-8-83744276
Received: February 23, 2014
Revised: April 30, 2014
Accepted: July 12, 2014
Published online: November 18, 2014
Revised: April 30, 2014
Accepted: July 12, 2014
Published online: November 18, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: The synovium is the soft tissue lining diarthodial joints, tendon sheaths and bursae. Arthroscopic synovial biopsy techniques have an established safety record. Synovial biopsy has been of critical importance in understanding disease pathogenesis and mechanisms of action of targeted therapies; it has been invaluable as a research tool in proof of concept studies to assess mechanisms and efficacy of new therapies. It also has diagnostic value when synovial fluid analysis is non-contributory.