1. Thirteen cases of "pseudorheumatoid" nodules are presented. Eight of these have been observed for three months to eleven years. 2. Histologically the nodules were identical to those that may be associated with rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatic fever. 3. No evidence of systemic disease was found. 4. The etiology is not clear but the prognosis is good

We reviewed the records and radiographs of 381 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had undergone silastic metacarpophalangeal joint replacement during the past 17 years. The number of implants was 1336 in the course of 404 operations. Implant failure was defined as either revision or fracture of the implant as seen on radiography. At 17 years, the survivorship was 63%, although on radiographs two-thirds of the implants were seen to be broken. Factors which improved survival included soft-tissue balancing, crossed intrinsic transfer and realignment of the wrist. Surgery to the thumb and proximal interphalangeal joint had a deleterious effect and the use of grommets did not protect the implant from fracture

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the association between the sagittal alignment of the femoral component in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and new Knee Society Score (2011KSS), under the hypothesis that outliers such as the excessive extended or flexed femoral component were related to worse clinical outcomes.

A simple unconstrained shoulder prosthesis has been used in 22 patients (25 shoulders) with incapacitating pain and severely damaged joints who, because of age or generalised rheumatoid disease, have limited functional requirements. All reported good and lasting pain relief. Improvement in range of movement was modest, but there was marked improvement in function. In this group of patients, rotator cuff damage is common, but does not preclude a satisfactory result

We report a new method of ankle arthrodesis which combines an anterior approach with a dowel technique of bone grafting and screw fixation. In 20 ankles of 20 patients, ten with osteoarthritis, eight with rheumatoid arthritis and two others, we achieved 19 solid bony fusions and one painless fibrous ankylosis. The average time to union was 12.5 weeks. Patient satisfaction was high and the functional results were as good as for other reported methods, with fewer complications

1. Central dislocation of the hip combined with ilio-femoral intramedullary nailing is a technically difficult operation, but one which, if well done, provides a high percentage of hip fusion without external fixation. 2. Fifteen hips have been operated upon. Twelve have fused; two cannot yet be assessed as the time since operation is too short; and one failed, presumably due to osteoporosis resulting from rheumatoid arthritis

1. The indications for amputation of all the toes for severe toe deformity in rheumatoid arthritis, hallux valgus and pes cavus are discussed. 2. The results of forty-seven amputations in twenty-eight patients are analysed: 93 per cent were found to be very satisfied with the operation. 3. The technique of the operation and the subsequent management are described. The importance of retaining full-length shoes fitted with metatarsal insoles and toe blocks to preserve a good gait and balance is emphasised

One-stage reimplantation for the salvage of infected total knee arthroplasty in 18 patients was reviewed at an average follow-up of five years. There had been one recurrence and one new infection, both in rheumatoid patients with another focus of infection. In four other patients the clinical result was impaired by pain after walking (2) and limited flexion (2). Our results suggest that one-stage reimplantation is a reasonably reliable procedure for the management of a loose infected prosthesis

Aims

The aim of this study was to examine whether tourniquet use can improve perioperative blood loss, early function recovery, and pain after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the setting of multiple-dose intravenous tranexamic acid.

Plasmin, a proteolytic enzyme derived from the blood, may be activated in synovial fluid both by trauma to synovial tissue and cartilage, and by kinases produced by streptococci and staphylococci. Plasmin normally removes fibrin, but, when in excess, attacks the protein of cartilage matrix. Conversely, excess inhibitor favours the persistence of fibrin and subsequent fibrosis. The relationship of excess protease to the chondrolysis of suppurative arthritis and of excess inhibitor to pannus formation and fibrous ankylosis in tuberculous and rheumatoid arthritis are discussed

We reviewed 25 patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had failure of 26 primary total elbow arthroplasties causing pain and loss of function. Most revision cases required special custom implants to treat varying bone loss and soft-tissue disruption. Assessment showed satisfactory functional results in the patients treated by revision at a mean follow-up period of 35 months. Our review suggests that revision surgery produces short- to medium-term painfree function, and is the treatment of choice for a failed total elbow arthroplasty in the absence of infection

The imaging techniques available to aid the diagnosis of ruptures of tendo Achillis, the rotator cuff and the tendon of tibialis posterior in rheumatoid patients are well described. However, ruptures of tendon or muscle at other sites are uncommon and may be overlooked. Diagnosis is often made by localised tenderness, swelling and a lack of active movement associated with a palpable defect. Clinical examination may be inconclusive and can be aided by imaging studies. We report two cases in which ruptures of a tendon were suspected, and ultrasound imaging demonstrated the palpable defect to be a cleavage plane in the subcutaneous fat – a ‘fat fracture’

Internal fixation with a trifin nail after displacement osteotomy of the femur permits reduction of external splintage to a degree that any patient can tolerate with ease; it also eliminates the problem of the stiff knee. The method has been used successfully for recent and old fractures of the femoral neck, for post-irradiation fractures, for failed nailing operations or arthroplastics, for osteoarthritis, for rheumatoid arthritis, for old congenital dislocations and subluxations, and to stabilise the hip after excision of the head and neck to create a pseudarthrosis

We have reviewed 100 Attenborough total knee replacements in eighty-two patients with a follow-up of one to four years and conclude that this prosthesis has a valuable place in the surgical management of patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis with severe involvement of the knee. In 85 per cent of these knees a good result was obtained with relief from pain, and in 77 per cent a useful range of movement with a stable knee. Only two patients with loosening and three with deep infection were seen in this series

1. The femoral head has been examined in specimens taken from cadavers, patients suffering subcapital fracture of the femoral neck and patients undergoing total replacement arthroplasty for osteoarthrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. 2. Lesions have been seen, some of which appear to be uniting fatigue fractures of individual trabeculae. 3. It is suggested that excessive cyclical loading, sometimes leading to fatigue fractures, may represent a fundamental pathological process of general importance in the evolution of certain skeletal and articular diseases

1. A relatively simple method of occipito-cervical fusion using autogenous bone chips without internal fixation is described. 2. In patients with atlanto-axial subluxation posterior fusion from the occiput to the axis rather than from the atlas to the axis is more reliable and is preferred. Inclusion of the occiput adds no more than a few degrees to the restriction of movement that follows C. 1-2 fusion. 3. The indications for occipito-cervical fusion are discussed, particularly in relation to C. 1-2 instability in rheumatoid arthritis

This paper describes the development, operative technique and results of an unconstrained total elbow arthroplasty. Forty-seven elbow replacements were carried out in 44 patients between 1974 and 1982. There was a high rate of loosening in the early condylar replacements. The results in patients with post-traumatic arthritis were poor. The later design employs an ulnar stem, with a humeral stem if the distal humeral bone stock is poor. When used in carefully selected patients with rheumatoid arthritis, pain is reduced significantly, stability and movement are preserved and function is improved

A review is presented of 508 feet in 310 patients after telescoping osteotomy of the lesser metatarsals for metatarsalgia. The patients were predominantly female (80%), with a mean age of 55 years; the range of follow-up was 1 to 12 years. In 22% of the patients the metatarsalgia was associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Improvements in assessment and modifications in technique are reported and the management of complications is discussed. The results show that telescoping osteotomy for established cases of pressure metatarsalgia is a simple and reliable operation. Permanent relief of symptoms can be expected in over 80% of patients

We present a study of 67 Oxford bicompartmental total knee replacements performed at a district general hospital. In this general orthopaedic unit, 57 of the knees (85%) had significant relief of pain with a mean flexion range of 95 degrees and a mean flexion deformity of only 9 degrees. There was a noticeable difference between osteoarthritic and rheumatoid knees. Poor results could be directly related to an avoidable postoperative complication. The results of this independent assessment may be compared favourably with the previously published series from the specialist centre at which the prosthesis was designed