Synovial biopsy

The test can be done in the operating room or in your health care provider's office. There are multiple techniques used for synovial biopsy including surgery, arthroscopy or ultrasound guided needle biopsy. During this procedure: Depending on the type of procedure, you may receive general anesthesia , regional…

Follow your provider's instructions on how to prepare. This may include not eating and drinking anything for several hours before the procedure.

With the local anesthetic, you will feel a prick and a burning sensation. As the trocar is inserted, there will be some discomfort. If the surgery is performed under regional or general anesthesia, you will not feel the procedure.

Synovial biopsy helps diagnose gout and bacterial infections, or check for other infections. It can be used to diagnose autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis , or uncommon infections like tuberculosis or fungal infections.

The synovial membrane structure is normal.

Synovial biopsy may identify the following conditions: Long-term (chronic) synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane) Coccidioidomycosis (a fungal infection) Fungal arthritis Gout Pseudogout Hemochromatosis (abnormal buildup of iron deposits) Systemic lupus erythematosus (autoimmune disease that affects the…

There is a very slight chance of infection and bleeding.

Follow instructions for keeping the wound clean and dry until your provider says it is OK to get it wet.

El-Gabalawy HS, Tanner S. Synovial fluid analyses, synovial biopsy, and synovial pathology. In: Firestein GS, Budd RC, Gabriel SE, Koretzky GA, McInnes IB, O'Dell JR, eds. Firestein and Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 56.