Plica syndrome Other names| Synovial plica syndrome Specialty| Orthopedics Plica syndrome is a condition that occurs when a plica (a vestigial extension of the protective synovial capsule of usually the knee) becomes irritated, enlarged, or inflamed.[1] ## Contents * 1 Cause * 2 Diagnosis * 3 Treatment * 4 See also * 5 References * 6 External links ## Cause This inflammation is typically caused by the plica being caught on the femur, or pinched between the femur and the patella. The most common location of plica tissue is along the medial (inside) side of the knee. The plica can tether the patella to the femur, be located between the femur and patella, or be located along the femoral condyle. If the plica tethers the patella to the femoral condyle, the symptoms may cause it to be mistaken for chondromalacia. The plica themselves are remnants of the fetal stage of development where the knee is divided into three compartments. The plica normally diminish in size during the second trimester of fetal development, as the three compartments develop into the synovial capsule. In adults, they normally exist as sleeves of tissue called synovial folds. The plica are usually harmless and unobtrusive; plica syndrome only occurs when the synovial capsule becomes irritated, which thickens the plica themselves (making them prone to irritation/inflammation, or being caught on the femur). ## Diagnosis If the plica tethers the patella to the femoral condyle, the symptoms may cause it to be mistaken for chondromalacia patellae. Diagnosis is often complicated by the thin structures of plicae, fenestrated septum or unfenestrated septum all being too fine to resolve well even in MRI. ## Treatment Plica syndrome treatment focuses on decreasing inflammation of the synovial capsule. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is often used in conjunction with therapeutic exercise and modalities. Iontophoresis and phonophoresis have been utilized successfully against inflammation of the plica and synovial capsule. Failing these, surgical removal of the plica of the affected knee may be necessary. ## See also * Knee pain * Patellofemoral pain syndrome * Iliotibial band syndrome ## References 1. ↑ Casadei, Kyle; Kiel, John (2020). "Plica Syndrome". StatPearls (StatPearls Publishing). PMID 30570983. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30570983/. Retrieved 9 January 2021. ## External links Classification| * ICD-9-CM: 727.83 | External resources| * eMedicine: article/1252011 * v * t * e Soft tissue disorders Capsular joint| | Synoviopathy| * Synovitis/Tenosynovitis * Calcific tendinitis * Stenosing tenosynovitis * Trigger finger * De Quervain syndrome * Transient synovitis * Ganglion cyst * osteochondromatosis * Synovial osteochondromatosis * Plica syndrome * villonodular synovitis * Giant-cell tumor of the tendon sheath | Bursopathy| * Bursitis * Olecranon * Prepatellar * Trochanteric * Subacromial * Achilles * Retrocalcaneal * Ischial * Iliopsoas * Synovial cyst * Baker's cyst * Calcific bursitis Noncapsular joint| | Symptoms| * Ligamentous laxity * Hypermobility | Enthesopathy/Enthesitis/Tendinopathy| | upper limb| * Adhesive capsulitis of shoulder * Impingement syndrome * Rotator cuff tear * Golfer's elbow * Tennis elbow | lower limb| * Iliotibial band syndrome * Patellar tendinitis * Achilles tendinitis * Calcaneal spur * Metatarsalgia * Bone spur other/general:| * Tendinitis/Tendinosis Nonjoint| | Fasciopathy| * Fasciitis: Plantar * Nodular * Necrotizing * Eosinophilic | Fibromatosis/contracture| * Dupuytren's contracture * Plantar fibromatosis * Aggressive fibromatosis * Knuckle pads 0.00 (0 votes) Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plica syndrome. Read more | Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Medicine:Plica_syndrome&oldid=2523337" *[v]: View this template *[t]: Discuss this template *[e]: Edit this template