[Value of passive postoperative mobilization treatment following knee joint synovectomy in chronic polyarthritis]

One group of 17 Knee joints was treated postoperatively with continuous passive motion, while the control group received cyclical changes of the Knee's position in flexion and extension. In the postoperative period the CPM-treated patients suffered less pain than the control group. Furthermore the patients of the CPM-group reached free extension and 90 degrees of flexion earlier than the control group. The amount of liquid in the suction drainage was higher in the CPM-group than in the control group. Based on the results of our examination continuous passive motion is considered to be a useful contribution to the postoperative treatment of synovectomy of the knee joint in rheumatoid arthritis.