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Related Concept Videos

Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction01:23

Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction

Rheumatic heart disease or RHD is a chronic condition that results from rheumatic fever, causing permanent damage to the heart valves.Etiology and Risk FactorsIt primarily arises from rheumatic fever, an inflammatory disease that can develop after untreated or inadequately treated group A streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis. Streptococcus spreads through direct contact with oral or respiratory secretions. While the bacteria are the causative agents, factors like malnutrition, overcrowding, poor...
Bones of the Upper Limb: Radius01:09

Bones of the Upper Limb: Radius

The radius is longer of the two bones that make up the human antebrachium or forearm. At the proximal end, the radius articulates with the capitulum of the humerus and the radial notch of the ulna to form the elbow joint. At the distal end, the radius articulates with the ulna via the ulnar notch, forming the distal radioulnar joint. Distally, the radius also attaches to the carpal wrist bones (scaphoid and lunate) to form the radiocarpal joint.
The radius has a nail-shaped head, and a short...
Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies01:22

Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies

The key clinical manifestations of Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) include several distinct cardiac symptoms.Carditis, a hallmark of acute rheumatic fever, involves inflammation of the heart's endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium. Chronic RHD often results from recurrent episodes of carditis. Its symptoms include the following:Murmurs are caused by valvular damage, especially to the mitral and aortic valves. Mitral stenosis or regurgitation is common, with characteristic heart murmurs...
Muscles of the Forearm that Move the Hand and Fingers01:16

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The muscles of the forearm that move the wrist, hand, and digits are numerous and diverse. They can be classified into two groups based on their location and function — the anterior and posterior compartment muscles.
Anterior Compartment
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Ankle Joint01:10

Ankle Joint

The ankle is formed by the talocrural joint (crural = leg). It consists of the articulations between the talus bone of the foot and the distal ends of the tibia and fibula of the leg. The superior aspect of the talus bone is square-shaped and has three areas of articulation. The top of the talus articulates with the inferior tibia. This is the portion of the ankle joint that carries the body weight between the leg and foot. The sides of the talus are firmly held in position by the articulations...
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Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) management can be divided into two main strategies: prevention and long-term management.Primary PreventionPrimary prevention focuses on timely diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis to prevent acute rheumatic fever. The most widely used antibiotic for treating this condition is intramuscular benzathine penicillin G.Acute Rheumatic Fever TreatmentThe primary treatment goal for a patient diagnosed with acute rheumatic fever is to suppress the...

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Preliminary Study on Acupuncture Combined with Grain-sized Moxibustion for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Finger Joint Pain
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The rheumatoid thumb.

Aron T Chacko1, Tamara D Rozental

  • 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Avenue, Stoneman 10, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Hand Clinics
|August 5, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Rheumatoid arthritis of the thumb causes disability. Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis depends on disease stage and joint affected, ranging from conservative measures to surgical options like arthrodesis or arthroplasty.

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Area of Science:

  • Orthopedics
  • Rheumatology
  • Hand Surgery

Background:

  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) commonly affects the thumb, leading to significant disability.
  • Understanding the biological and physical aspects of thumb RA is crucial for effective treatment selection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline treatment strategies for rheumatoid arthritis of the thumb based on disease presentation and affected joints.
  • To differentiate management approaches for early versus advanced stages of thumb RA.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current treatment modalities for rheumatoid arthritis affecting different parts of the thumb.
  • Categorization of treatments based on disease severity and specific joint involvement (interphalangeal, metacarpophalangeal, carpometacarpal).

Main Results:

  • Early-stage thumb RA may be managed with conservative, less invasive options.
  • Advanced stages often require surgical intervention, including arthrodesis (joint fusion) or arthroplasty (joint replacement).
  • Specific joint involvement dictates the optimal surgical approach: isolated interphalangeal joints favor arthrodesis; metacarpophalangeal joints may be treated with arthroplasty (low-demand) or arthrodesis (active patients); carpometacarpal joint damage is best addressed with trapezium resection arthroplasty.

Conclusions:

  • Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis of the thumb should be tailored to the specific joint(s) affected and disease severity.
  • Surgical interventions like arthrodesis and arthroplasty offer effective solutions for advanced thumb RA, with the choice dependent on patient activity levels and joint location.