To discuss the time selection for RA synovectomy.
Eighty-six knees in 64 RA patients underwent synovectomy in 7 years. 8 of the 64 patients were in RA stage I, 26 in II, 24 in III, 8 in IV. The mean age was 43.9 years and the average follow-up period lasted 38.2 months.
Pain relief and swelling reduction were significant clinical features after synovectomy. The overall assessment of the effect of synovectomy showed satisfactory results (72.9%) including all RA-I, and RA-II (87.2%).
If the patients have sustained or intractable joint swollening with exuberant synovium after strict drug therapy over half a year, synovectomy is an appropriate consideration, it is very important to select the time for synovectomy.