title: Chronic massive knee effusion in familial Mediterranean fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the occurrence of chronic massive knee effusions in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three cases of chronic massive knee effusion of young FMF patients requiring open synovectomy are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Open synovectomy necessitated protracted rehabilitation, eventually with good results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FMF should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic massive knee effusion. Early diagnosis and daily colchicine treatment generally result in a good clinical outcome and may eliminate the need for open synovectomy in favor of arthroscopic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery A, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salai
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zemmer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corat
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Heyman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langevitz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Livneh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001175:Arthrography; D002908:Chronic Disease; D010505:Familial Mediterranean Fever / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology