The role of non-prosthetic surgery in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by fusions and auto-arthroplasties. Current practice at the Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Heinola.

After the introduction of modern artificial joints the classical operation methods, such as osteotomies, arthrodeses and auto-arthroplasties, have been forced aside little by little. Irrespective of the late complications following replacement surgery, the patients today expect a movable, painless endoprosthesis, which at it best seems to benefit the patient. The question arises whether the classical methods still have a role in the surgical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The reply is "yes", they do have a fair share of rheumatoid surgery, indeed. They still compete with the modern endoprosthetic surgery for the place of the primary operation in many cases. To give instances, tarsal reconstruction by subtaloid arthrodesis is superior to other methods and arthrodesis of the wrist is often only reasonable way to get a strong, painless key joint to the hand. Even the shoulder arthrodesis may successfully compete with an endoprosthesis. Also classical auto-arthroplasties such as resection arthroplasties of the metacarpophalangeal and elbow joints are serious rivals of respective endoprostheses. The practice of Rheumatism Foundation Hospital (RFH) in the golden mean between the endoprosthesis enthusiasts and their opponents will be described in this article. The practice varies greatly from clinic to clinic and is progressing--and regressing--all the time.