| Name of Study: | Synovial Fluid (SF) and Synovial Biopsy Evaluation of Patients Being Treated for Arthritis
|
| Principal Investigator: | H. Ralph Schumacher, Jr., MD 215.823.4244 schumacr@mail.med.upenn.edu |
| Coordinator: | Jan Dinnella 215.823.5800 ext. 2560 jdinnell@mail.med.upenn.edu |
| Procedures: | This study is designed to obtain detailed information
on synovial fluid and tissue, and to relate findings to clinical diagnosis
and response to subsequent therapy. It is hoped that this will improve
our knowledge of the features of synovial membranes that are most
valuable in diagnosis, prognosis and interpretation of response to
therapy. The procedure will take 30 - 40 minutes and will involve cleaning of the joint site, aspiration of joint fluid, injection of lidocaine local anesthetic, insertion of the 14 gauge biopsy trochar and removal of 10 - 20 small specimans of synovium through this trochar using a hooked biopsy needle. Joints biopsied can be knees, ankles, PIP joints, wrists, elbows or shoulders. Joint aspiration can be briefly painful, but biopsy is usually pain free, and infection is a very rare risk (about 1:7000 joint aspirations). Patients will be asked to rest the next day and will be followed by the referring doctor as well as by us. Synovial fluid will be studied microscopically and by molecular techniques to clarify diagnostic and prognostic features. |
| Inclusion: |
|
| Exclusion: |
|
