Reconstructive surgery in the rheumatoid hand.

Reconstructive hand surgery is an established, proved, and effective method to correct deformities and increase function in rheumatoid patients. As more experience has been gathered, the indications for both arthrodesis and arthroplasty have been better established, and a better approach to reconstructive hand surgery has developed. In this discussion we have evaluated in detail the surgical treatment indicated for wrist, metacarpophalangeal joint, and thumb deformities. The treatment of swan-neck deformities and boutonniere deformities is discussed in other sections in this volume.