Synovial chondromatosis of the temporomandibular joint: clinical and immunohistopathological considerations.

A histopathological study of 30 cases of synovial osteochondromatosis found that the process followed a temporal sequence characterised by three phases: (I) active intrasynovial disease only; (II) transitional lesions with both active intrasynovial proliferation and free loose bodies; and (III) many free osteochondral bodies with no demonstrable intrasynovial disease [J. Bone Joint Surg. 59 (1977) 792]. We present five cases of synovial chondromatosis of the temporpmandibular joint (TMJ) which we studied by immunohistochemical methods of for transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) and tenascin.