Treatment of refractory chronic Lyme arthritis with arthroscopic synovectomy

Arthritis Rheum. 1991 Aug;34(8):1056-60. doi: 10.1002/art.1780340817.

Abstract

Of 20 patients who underwent arthroscopic synovectomy for refractory chronic Lyme arthritis of the knee, 16 (80%) had resolution of joint inflammation during the first month after surgery or soon thereafter, and they have remained well during the 3-8-year followup period. Three of these 16 patients who were more disabled preoperatively, still had mild functional limitation at long-term followup. The remaining 4 patients (20%) had persistent or recurrent synovitis. We conclude that arthroscopic synovectomy is effective in treating chronic Lyme arthritis in patients in whom the disease does not respond to antibiotic therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Arthritis, Infectious / epidemiology
  • Arthritis, Infectious / surgery*
  • Arthroscopy / methods
  • Child
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint* / surgery*
  • Lyme Disease / epidemiology
  • Lyme Disease / pathology
  • Lyme Disease / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Synovectomy
  • Synovial Membrane / pathology