Ascension Orthopedics Patient Info

Patient Information

Arthritis Facts

Treatment Options

Treatment Options

There are many different treatment options available to patients suffering from arthritis of the hand. To fully understand which option is best for you, consultation with your hand specialist is necessary. A combination of treatments might be the best solution. Your best answer to a positive outcome is to seek treatment early. As arthritis of the hand progresses without treatment, you may eliminate some options for treatment.

Exercise: Your doctor may give you exercises to perform regularly with your hand to maintain function and movement. It is important to follow your doctor's instructions.

Splinting: Your doctor may also prescribe splints to correct a deformity or to restore function in a joint. These splints may be worn at night or during the day. Again it is important to follow your doctor's instructions.

Medication: New medications continue to become available for the treatment of RA and OA. Some of these drugs provide pain relief, some reduce swelling or inflammation, and some do both. Ask your doctor for what is right for you.

Injections: Your doctor may decide that injections into your joint are an option.

Surgery Can Help

If these non-surgical treatments do not work for you, surgery may be an option.

Hand Surgery

Some advanced cases of arthritis of the hand require surgical intervention. There are a number of procedures that can provide relief of the symptoms of arthritis of the hand. It is important to remember to seek a surgeon's opinion early, as time may eliminate treatment options.

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Types of Hand Surgery:

Synovectomy: This is generally done in less severe cases of joint disease in RA patients. This procedure involves the removal of the synovium or tissues lining the joints. This can reduce swelling and pain and slow down the destruction of your finger joints. The synovium can grow back after several years and result in continued problems.

Arthrodesis: (fusion) to reduce pain a surgeon may choose to join the bones in a joint together. This results in loss of motion but can eliminate the pain.

Osteotomy: (cutting the bone) Various osteotomies can be performed to correct deformities and reduce pain. This is primarily performed in weight bearing joints.

Arthroplasty: (total joint replacement) This is a removal of the damaged bone, which is then replaced by an artificial joint. Finger joint arthroplasty has been performed for more than 30 years. Traditionally, damaged or diseased finger joints have been replaced with a silicone spacer. This type of replacement can provide for satisfactory results in low demand patients. For high demand patients, Ascension Orthopedics has designed a finger joint replacement for your MCP and PIP joint. This "new" joint was developed in conjunction with the Mayo Clinic and has over 20 years of clinical experience.