title: Total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. An overview.
abstract: Total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis presents several unique challenges. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis often have additional medical, anesthetic, and global musculoskeletal problems that are not present in the patient with osteoarthritis. In terms of the knee, these patients usually have osteopenia and may present with an array of bone and soft tissue deformities, each of which can impact the initial success and long term durability of a total knee replacement. Despite these potential difficulties, the early and long term results of total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis have proven to be excellent.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois College of Medicine, Rockford 61107, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chmell
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000503:physiopathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome