Synovial chondromatosis is a disease of cartilagenous metaplasia of the synovial membrane accompanied by loose bodies within the articular cavity. A 23-year-old female visited our clinic with pain in the right temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and trismus.
Removal of all loose bodies, synovectomy and disectomy were performed. In the light microscopic examination, the loose bodies showed cartilagenous metaplasia, but the synovial membrane did not show cartilagenous metaplasia. Thus the tissue was examined under an electron microscope and by the RT-PCR method. In the electron microscopic examination, extensively dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum and irregular nuclei or cells were not found. Total RNA was extracted from the synovial membrane and examined by the RT-PCR method. The expression level of Aggrecan mRNA was low. It was found that cellular activity of the synovial membrane decreased.
