Shoulder surgery in rheumatoid arthritis.

Surgery was performed on 43 shoulders in 38 rheumatic patients with disabling pain. Fifteen of 22 synovectomized shoulders were available for examination an average of 2 years postoperatively. Twelve patients were satisfied with their operations and had painfree shoulders. Nine shoulders had almost normal mobility but four patients with an advanced shoulder arthropathy had gained little motion. Two patients with severe pain had been re-operated on with arthroplasty. In 15 patients with 18 shoulder replacements, the postoperative gain in motion was limited in all shoulders. Seven out of eleven shoulders had significant pain after hemi-arthroplasty, whereas five out of seven shoulders were painfree after total replacement. It seems that synovectomy can give results which are comparable with total arthroplasty if applied in early stages of rheumatoid disease.