A RARE CASE OF PAINLESS SWELLING OF THE ANKLE

An eighteen-year-old male presented with painless swelling of left lateral malleolus of left ankle for last one year. There was no history of trauma or any significant medical illness. FNAC yielded blood only. Further excision was done and based on histopathological features the diagnosis of synovial hemangioma was rendered. Synovial hemangioma is a rare entity with very few cases reported so far. It is characterized by the presence of normal or abnormal blood vessels, arising from the synovial lining of the tendon sheath or joint space. The clinical presentation is not so specific. Histopathology of the synovectomy specimen plays a very important role in rendering a correct diagnosis. Based on characteristic morphological findings and absence of reactive vessels surrounded by perivascular myxoid change is important in differentiating it from pigmented villonodular synovitis, which has chances of recurrence. The anatomical distributions of these lesions are important in management of these lesions.