[Association of monomelic melorheostosis and synovial chondromatosis of the knee].

Melorheostosis is a rare affection, of obscure etiopathogenesis, corresponding to osteosclerosis with running hyperostosis. We report the observation of melorheostosis of a lower limb occurring to an 18-year old patient who consulted for tumefaction of the lower limb with an aching and stiffened knee. The radiography allowed the diagnosis by showing an aspect characterized by a running like of a candle accompanied by osteochondromatosis of the knee and the calcification of soft tissues. The synovectomy of the knee brought about indolence and the lesions seem to stabilise after a 3 years follow-up. The synovial osteochondromatosis seems to be an integral part of the disease. The characteristics of melorheostosis are studied according to the data of the literature.