Działania naprawcze i projekty w toku
The role of rheumaorthopaedics in the treatment of rheumatic patients

Surgical treatment of the rheumatoid changes occurring in the course of rheumatic diseases remains a beneficial and efficient method of therapy. The process of treatment is composed of various methods, and surgical treatment plays an important role at particular stages of the disease. The operations in rheumaorthopaedics could be classified into two main types of surgical procedures – prophylactic or corrective/reconstructive procedures. The prophylactic procedures, like synovectomies, tenosynovectomies, tenotomies, tendon elongations and transpositions and capsulotomies are performed in order to prevent destruction of joints and other tissues. The corrective or reconstructive procedures are arthrolyses, arthrodeses, arthroplasties and prosthetic replacements. The hip joint, knee joint, metacarpo-phalangeal joints, shoulder joint, elbow and ankle joint are the most often performed joint replacements. Because of increased risk of complications rheumatic patients need the special preoperative care of a team consisting of a rheumatologist, orthopaedist and anaesthetist. Properly performed operations bring a patient the possibility to avoid pain, to restore lost function and to facilitate self care.