[The wrist joint].

The wrist joint is involved in a great majority of cases of rheumatoid arthritis. Tenosynovitis and synovitis can lead to severe destruction of the joint and to spontaneous ruptures of the tendons. Therefore, early tenosynovectomy and wrist-joint synovectomy are required. At the advanced stage of the disease, arthroplasty is necessary. Arthrodesis is rarely indicated in the treatment of severe wrist destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.