[Synovectomy in treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases: historical or current?]

Synovectomy as the oldest "classical" method of arthritis surgery became a subject of controversial discussion during the past decade, especially due to controlled prospective studies published in the English-speaking literature. By analysis of the validity of these studies and respecting the European experience and literature, the arguments for a well timed radical and meticulous synovectomy as an effective and proven local prevention of progressive joint destructions are presented.