Kadambila Vishwas, Karicheri Gangadharan Vishakh, Arif K S, Abhishek Bs Sudharshan
Orthopaedics, Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore, IND.
Cureus. 2025 Aug 5;17(8):e89391. doi: 10.7759/cureus.89391. eCollection 2025 Aug.
Lipoma arborescens (LA) is an unusual and benign lesion found in joints, where one can see villous lipomatous synovial proliferation, with the knee joint being the commonest site. It typically presents with chronic joint swelling and pain. We report the case of a 32-year-old woman with a history of knee trauma three years ago, who presented with progressive pain and swelling in the left knee. Examination revealed swelling with a boggy consistency over the suprapatellar area. There was no joint line tenderness, and the routine clinical tests did not reveal any abnormality. Magnetic resonance imaging indicated synovial proliferation with frond-like synovial mass in the suprapatellar pouch, lateral aspect. Synovial debridement was planned after, which was then performed arthroscopically. Synovial biopsy histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of lipoma arborescens. Postoperatively, the patient recovered uneventfully and was able to pursue daily activities without any hindrance. Lipoma arborescens is a rare condition and should be considered in patients with chronic knee swelling and clinical and radiological features suggestive of florid synovitis. Arthroscopic debridement remains an effective treatment.
树枝状脂肪瘤(LA)是一种在关节中发现的罕见良性病变,可见绒毛状脂肪性滑膜增生,膝关节是最常见的部位。它通常表现为慢性关节肿胀和疼痛。我们报告一例32岁女性病例,该患者三年前有膝关节外伤史,现出现左膝进行性疼痛和肿胀。检查发现髌上区域肿胀,质地松软。无关节线压痛,常规临床检查未发现任何异常。磁共振成像显示髌上囊外侧滑膜增生,有叶状滑膜肿块。之后计划进行滑膜清创术,随后通过关节镜进行了该手术。滑膜活检组织病理学检查确诊为树枝状脂肪瘤。术后,患者恢复顺利,能够毫无障碍地进行日常活动。树枝状脂肪瘤是一种罕见疾病,对于有慢性膝关节肿胀且临床和影像学特征提示有明显滑膜炎的患者应考虑此病。关节镜清创术仍然是一种有效的治疗方法。