Case Report
A rare case of giant cell tumour arising from
anterior cruciate ligament: Its diagnosis and
management
Sanjay Agarwala MCh Orth, Pranshu Agrawal M.S Orth
*
, Pradeep Moonot
FRCS Tr & Orth, Anshul Sobti D.N.B Orth
P.D. Hinduja National Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Veer Savarkar Marg, Mahim, Mumbai 400016, India
article info
Article history:
Received 5 September 2014
Accepted 13 December 2014
Available online 13 January 2015
Keywords:
Tenosynovial
Giant cell tumour
Intrarticular
ACL
abstract
Tenosynovial giant cell tumour is a locally aggressive tumour arising from the synovia of
the fibrous tissue surrounding the joints, tendon sheaths and tendons. Areas of predilec-
tion are the hand, and in the case of synovial joints, the knee joint is particularly affected.
We describe a rare case of an intra-articular localized tenosynovial giant cell tumour
arising from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in a 27 year male who presented with pain
and giving way of his left knee without prior history of any trauma. Tests for internal
derangement of knee were negative. MRI reported an ACL tear with a heterogeneous
fibrous mass attached to the distal part, most probably an organized haematoma. It was
decided to do a diagnostic arthroscopy before proceeding for ACL reconstruction.
Arthroscopy revealed a purple coloured mass attached to distal part of ACL. The mass was
removed piecemeal using an additional posterolateral portal. ACL was found intact. His-
topathology reported it to be tenosynovial giant cell tumour. The patient was asymptom-
atic at each subsequent follow up. It is a rare diagnosis which presented as an ACL tear; in
such suspected cases it is prudent to perform a diagnostic arthroscopy before going for ACL
reconstruction.
Copyright © 2014, Delhi Orthopaedic Association. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Tenosynovial giant cell tumour is a locally aggressive tumour
arising from the synovia of the fibrous tissue surrounding the
joints, tendon sheaths, mucosal bursas, and tendons.
1,2
The
various synonyms used to describe the tumour are: giant cell
tumour of tendon sheath, nodular tenosynovitis, pigmented
villonodular synovitis, fibroxanthoma and fibrous histiocy-
toma.
3
The four clinicopathologic variants of tenosynovial
giant cell tumour are localized, diffuse extra-articular, diffuse
intra-articular (diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis), and
malignant.
4,5
The localized type of tenosynovial giant cell
tumour is defined as a circumscribed lesion that is micro-
scopically not infiltrating into the fat or skeletal muscle. Areas
of predilection are the hand, and in the case of synovial joints,
* Corresponding author. Tel.: þ91 7567734509; fax: þ91 22 24440425.
E-mail address: pranshuorthodoc@gmail.com (P. Agrawal).
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jcot
journal of clinical orthopaedics and trauma 6 (2015) 140 e143
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcot.2014.12.005
0976-5662/Copyright © 2014, Delhi Orthopaedic Association. All rights reserved.