A Case Report of Synovial Inflammation and Osteochondral Lesion in The Medial Tibial Condyle of Young Adult

A 21-year-old male with no history of any illness came with 6 months of chronic swelling, stiffness, and pain in his right knee. He was clinically detected to have mild swelling over the medial aspect of the right knee joint and tenderness of the medial condyle of the tibia with restriction of the range of motion. Radiographs were normal with no bone lesions, but MRI revealed a grade 3 osteochondral lesion of the medial tibial condyle with secondary synovitis and mild joint effusion. Osteochondral lesion and right knee synovitis were diagnosed in the patient. Spinal anesthesia with arthroscopic examination under surgery, joint lavage, and microfracture procedure for osteochondral defect repair was done. Postoperative rehabilitation was 6 weeks of non-weight-bearing status with gradual weight-bearing and physical therapy to maintain restoration of strength and range of motion. On follow-up at 6 months, the patient had an acceptable result with near-total pain relief, better flexion of the knee (120 degrees), and no instability. Radiographs showed good healing at the site of osteochondral lesion. It highlights the importance of early diagnosis and surgical treatment of synovitis of the knee and osteochondral defects, particularly in the young active individual, where less destructive techniques such as microfracture can provide a satisfactory functional result.