Publication:

Surgical synovectomy for rheumatoid arthritis: a comprehensive literature review

Surgical approaches for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are directed towards alleviating pain, restoring function and preventing further joint deterioration. Surgery is proposed only when conservative measures have failed. Multiple approaches have been designated in the management of the early and late disease. In this article, we reviewed the literature of one of the most common surgical procedure used in the treatment of RA which is synovectomy. A literature review was performed using the automated computerized PubMed search, with the keywords “rheumatoid arthritis, arthroscopy synovectomy, open synovectomy”. Only papers written in the English language were included. References were screened to identify further relevant articles. Experimental studies, works published in non-indexed journals, case reports, letters, and viewpoints were excluded. A total of 77 articles reporting on surgical synovectomies were included.