REVIEW - Possibilities of wrist arthroscopy: even for patients with arthritis?

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Z Rheumatol. 2008 Oct;67(6):478-84.

[Possibilities of wrist arthroscopy. Even for patients with arthritis?]

Feldkamp G.

Privatpraxis für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Königsallee 178, 44799, Bochum.

The wrist is the most commonly involved joint in rheumatoid arthritis

(RA). Because it becomes involved early in the disease course and

because this involvement rapidly progresses, early and adequate

treatment is necessary to prevent disease progression. Arthroscopic

synovectomy is recommended for pain relief and functional recovery in

early-stage RA and is also helpful in advanced RA. The technique is

complicated, and the learning curve is steep, but its efficiency is

high. Arthroscopic synovectomy of the wrist reduces pain and improves

function in most cases. It also improves motion, which is an advantage

to the open procedure, and patient acceptance of this procedure is

high. Nevertheless, arthroscopic synovectomy may delay the need for

complex surgery, such as wrist arthrodesis or total wrist arthroplasty

in selected cases.

PMID: 18810467

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18810467

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