Recent advances in upper extremity surgery for rheumatoid arthritis

The number of cases with rheumatoid arthritis who requires arthroscopic synovectomy is declining, but it is still a useful procedure in combination with effective pharmacologic disease control. For the destruction of glenohumeral joint, total shoulder arthroplasty is effective for pain relief and functional outcome for patients without rotator cuff impairment. The reverse shoulder arthroplasty has been shown favorable short-term results, but need a careful indication for rheumatoid shoulder with poor bone stock and bone quality. Linked or unlinked total elbow arthroplasty are now reliable methods for the reconstruction of rheumatoid elbows with acceptable long-term survival. Joint replacement surgery for proximal interphalangeal joint is a challenging procedure in terms of relatively high complication rate and disappointing improvement in range of motion, whereas achieves good patients' satisfaction for pain relief and improved finger appearances.