Surgical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis used to relieve severe pain and improve function of severely deformed joints that don't respond to medicine and physical therapy.
Surgery options include:
- Arthroplasty. This replaces part or all of a joint, such as the hip or knee. Arthroplasty can be done for many different joints in the body. Its success varies depending on which joint is replaced.
- Arthroscopy. This uses a small lighted instrument to remove debris or inflamed tissue from a joint.
- Carpal tunnel release. This surgery relieves pressure on the median nerve in the wrist.
- Cervical spinal fusion. This fusion treats severe neck pain and nerve problems.
- Finger and hand surgeries. These correct joint problems in the hand.
- Foot surgery. An example is phalangeal head resection.
- Synovectomy. This removes inflamed joint tissue.