Diagnosis and treatment of postsurgical synovial fistula of the knee.

With the exception of post-arthroscopy synovial fistulae formation, which generally heal without additional treatment, postsurgical synovial fistulae are relatively uncommon. We describe the development of synovial fistulae after three different surgical procedures: a biopsy, a high tibial osteotomy, and an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. With treatment tailored to the individual patient, the synovial fistulae can be cured by closing the opening between the knee joint and the fistula.