Since last August, 29 cases of synovial punch biopsy have been carried out with Franklin-Silverman needle which was used in liver biopsy, instead of the specialized needle for the synovium.
Authors report the applicable utility of Franklin. Silverman needle for the synovial biopsy, diag￢nostic value of this procedure and histopathologic findings of the results.
The rate of the technical success to obtain synovial tissue was, about 76%. Complications after procedure, have been very rarely encountered, consisting of mild transient hemarthrosis.
In 17 cases, the histopathologic changes was compatible with their clinical findings. In. the remainders, we experienced the failures to get synovial tissue at all in 7 cases and to give the significant synovial changes in 5 successful specimens. Fortunately, the important diagnostic aid was achieved in 3 cases which were conformed early diagnosis of tuberculous arthritis.
This needle biopsy was also thought to contribute to rule out the gouty arthritis from other hyperuricemic conditions. But the histologic changes were non specific inflammatory findings in the synovial mambrane of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, traumatic and infectious arthritis.
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