Surgical Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a devastating systemic disease which affects millions of people throughout the world. Because of the complexity of the disease process and the ramifications that extend well beyond the musculoskeletal involvement, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, and social workers participate in the comprehensive evaluation, treatment and management of rheumatoid patients as well as orthopaedic specialists. This multi-disciplinary approach is the foundation of "Surgical Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis", a reference that brings together all aspects of patient evaluation and treatment in full illustrative detail. Addressing the many local features of rheumatoid arthritis that can make the approach to surgery in these patients difficult, the author has collected the current surgical treatments available. Organized into three sections, this text covers the basic science, pathology, diagnosis, non-operative treatment, operative treatment and post-operative management of the rheumatoid patient.