The surgical management of the rheumatoid foot.

After cancer and heart disease, arthritis is the third most common health problem in the UK and Europe. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis require more medical care then those with osteoarthritis because rheumatoid patients have multiple joint involvement. Some patients require surgery for successful treatment of their painful joints. This article outlines the surgical procedures most commonly undertaken for reconstruction of the rheumatoid foot, and summarizes the indications for these procedures and the causes of failure.