Arthroscopic view of transient synovitis of the hip joint: a case report

We present a case of a 13-year-old male patient with hip pain and limp. Inconclusive investigations and persistent symptoms resulted in the patient undergoing hip arthroscopy. At arthroscopy, a large focal cartilaginous defect of the femoral head with synovitis was seen and synovial biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Arthroscopic debridement of the lesion, synovectomy and non-weight bearing for 6 weeks resulted in relief of symptoms. Transient synovitis is a common diagnosis in young children, but the extent of damage to the femoral head has not been previously described. Transient synovitis may not always respond to symptomatic treatment and hip arthroscopy may be useful in detecting the actual lesion and plan the treatment.