title: Arthroscopic synovectomy for the rheumatoid elbow: a short-term outcome.
abstract: We evaluated the results of arthroscopic synovectomy of 11 rheumatoid elbows in 10 patients. All patients had severe pain and swelling, resulting from chronic synovitis, that had not responded to conservative treatment. We divided the patients into two groups according to preoperative Larsen grade: group A, grade 1, 2, or 3 (n = 6); and group B, grade 4 (n = 5). The visual analog scale and the Elbow Evaluation Sheet of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association were used for preoperative and postoperative evaluation of pain and function. Arthroscopy was performed by use of the procedure of Poehling et al, without resection of the radial head. The mean follow-up period was 37 months. Visual analog scale and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores improved significantly in both groups, with relief of pain and satisfactory functional results. We recommend this procedure for patients with a persistently painful, swollen elbow with Larsen grade 1 to 4 due to rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Defense Medical College, 3-2, Namiki, To-korozawa, Saitama Prefecture, Japan 359-8313.
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arino
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: Kyosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011336:Probability; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000074402:Synovectomy; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome