Flexor tendon synovectomy of the hand in rheumatoid arthritis. A follow-up study of 201 operated hands.

A follow-up study of 201 flexor tendon synovectomies of the hand in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is presented. The operations were performed from 1/2-49 years after onset of the disease, and the patients were between 16 and 76 years of age. The follow-up study is based on questionnaires and, in addition, 78% of the patients also had a physical re-examination. The follow-up time spanned 12-78 months. Nearly 70% of the operated hands were subjectively improved; the others were unchanged or worse. The poor results were often caused by progression of arthritis in finger joints. Recurrence of the tenosynovitis was observed in about 37% of the hands, but in very few to such an extent that reoperation has been necessary.