Synovectomy | The anatomy and function of the joint mucosa

Synovectomy

If necessary, the joint mucosa of a joint can be removed to improve the patient’s symptoms or to prevent further destruction of the joint through an inflammatory reaction. The most common reason for synovectomy is to treat rheumatoid arthritis either preventively or reconstructively, if damage already exists. It should be noted that early, preventive synovectomies achieve better results if the cartilage and bone have not yet been destroyed.

The purpose of removal is to remove the inflamed tissue so that the inflammatory response is eliminated. If this were to be allowed to take its course, healthy cartilage, bone and connective tissue would be destroyed, since these components are also attacked. The procedure itself can ultimately be performed either open or arthroscopically. In the open variant, a skin incision is made and the joint capsule is opened. The arthroscopic method is minimally invasive and does not open up the entire joint cavity.

Radiosynoviorthesis