Undercover hematoma: A rare presentation of a complete suprapatellar plica

Abstract

Synovial plicae are remnants of synovial septa that fail to fully resorb during embryonic knee development. In 3 to 30% of cases, they can become symptomatic (synovial plica syndrome), typically presenting with anterior knee pain exacerbated by knee flexion. Plicae are classified based on their location, with the suprapatellar being the most common but typically asymptomatic.This article describes a clinical case of spontaneous knee pain and swelling revealed to be secondary to an atraumatic hematoma confined to the suprapatellar bursa by the presence of a complete suprapatellar synovial plica. According to the authors' research, there are no described cases with a similar presentation.