Synovectomy of the elbow in rheumatoid arthritis.

Twenty-five synovectomies of the elbow were performed in twenty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and the patients were followed for two to eleven years. All patients had an advanced stage of the disease, with disintegration of cartilage and severe erosions of bone. The operations were performed by the same surgeon using the same technique. Follow-up studies revealed various degrees of improvement in all patients. The improvement in motion was most evident in rotation of the forearm. Pain was diminished in all but three patients. In five elbows a few degrees of flexion and extension was lost. The favorable response to synovectomy was retained throughout the follow-up period in twenty-four elbows. In only one elbow was there recurrence of the synovial swelling, about eight years after the operation.