Innovative treatment approaches for rheumatoid arthritis. Non-surgical synovectomy.

Rheumatoid patients with intractable knee effusions may benefit from medical or radio-isotopic synoviorthesis. These offer more convenient, less costly alternatives to surgery with similar long-term outcome. Temporary symptomatic relief may be obtained, but disease progression is unaffected. Potential adverse effects include development of osteoarthrosis with osmic acid and teratogenicity and mutagenicity with alkylating agents and radioisotopes.