Postoperative management of pigmented villonodular synovitis in a single subject.
METHODS
Case report.


BACKGROUND
Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a rare, benign disorder characterized by idiopathic proliferation affecting the synovium of joints, tendon sheaths, and bursae. Diagnosing PVNS in the knee is difficult because the clinical presentation and symptoms mimic those of more common disorders at the joint, such as internal derangements or arthritis. Operative treatment of PVNS typically consists of arthroscopic or open synovectomy, but no reports of postoperative rehabilitation exist.


METHODS
This case describes the postoperative rehabilitation of a 46-year-old female who had left knee surgery secondary to PVNS. Rehabilitation consisted of combined manual therapy, exercise, and gait training to improve function and gait, and cognitive-behavioral techniques to improve self-efficacy.


RESULTS
All impairments improved in 2.5 months of physical therapy to normal, and the patient estimated 80% to 90% return to function.


CONCLUSIONS
This patient obtained excellent outcomes in 2.5 months of physical therapy following surgery for PVNS. Although no firm conclusions can be drawn from a case report, this patient responded well to a biopsychosocial approach that combined physical therapy with cognitive-behavioral techniques.


METHODS
Therapy, level 4.
Hegedus
Eric J
EJ
Duke University School of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine, Durham, NC 27705, USA. eric.hegedus@duke.edu
Theresa
Kristen
K
D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013586:Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*