[Basic therapy of chronic inflammatory joint diseases with D-penicillamine and disorders of wound healing in rheumatoid orthopedic interventions].

In the past, D-penicillamine has been thought to cause wound healing disturbances due to its influence on connective tissue. A series of 217 operations in 150 patients with rheumatoid arthritis on D-penicillamine treatment were performed and compared with controls (106 operations in 86 patients with rheumatoid arthritis). It was shown that disturbances of wound healing were less in patients on D-penicillamine therapy (12.4%) than in patients who did not receive D-penicillamine (18.9%). A perioperative withdrawal of D-penicillamine therefore does not seem justified.