[Reaction of synovial membranes in knee joint with primary extra-articular systemic diseases (author's transl)].

Postmortal histologic examinations of the synovial membrane of both knee joints were conducted in 85 selected cases. The following conditions were given priority: diabetes mellitus, advanced renal insufficiency, liver cirrhosis with ascites, chronic insufficiency of the right heart, vericose syndrome of the lower extremities, tumours compressing organs of the pelvis minor as well as a few rare infectious and tumerous diseases. Comparison of the histomorphologic findings revealed consistancies such as pronounced ultravillous branching of the synovial membrane with villous hyalinosis in diabetes mellitus, increased, coarse villi formation in renal insufficiency and liver cirrhosis, edema of the synovial membrane in chronic insufficiency of the right heart and renal insufficiency as well as a number of nonspecific reactions of the synovial membrane in obstruction of venous drainage. In the context of generalized fibrotic processes such as in Ormond's disease and scleroderma, similar reactions of the synovial membrane are pronounced. Arthralgic complaints and secondary arthroses in those systemic diseases not primarily involving joints can be at least partially clarified by histomorphologic findings.