Pigmented villonodular synovitis managed by total synovectomy and cementless total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Pigmented villonodular synovitis or PVNS is a benign proliferating disease of the synovium; it behaves much as a neoplastic process does.

METHODS: This retrospective clinical study included 11 consecutive cases who underwent for total synovectomy combined with cementless total hip arthroplasty of PVNS of the hip joint.

RESULTS: The mean patient preoperative hip score of Harris was 46.1 points (range 30-70 points) improved to 94.3 points (range 90-100 points) at the last follow-up visits. No clinical or radiological evidence of recurrent PVNS or osteolysis or loosening had been detected in our patients.

CONCLUSION: Total synovectomy combined with total arthroplasty (THA) could be considered as the ideal treatment in the case of pigmented villonodular synovitis with major osteoarticular destruction and provided good results, as reported in the current series.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, case series.