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RS3PE responds excellently to low dose corticosteroids, with sustained and often complete remission. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have also been used. Hydroxychloroquine has proven effective in some cases.
Because any medication that could reduce the inflammation of CPPD bears a risk of causing organ damage, treatment is not advised if the condition is not causing pain.
For acute pseudogout, treatments include intra-articular corticosteroid injection, systemic corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or, on occasion, high-dose colchicine. In general, NSAIDs are administered in low doses to help prevent CPPD. However, if an acute attack is already occurring, higher doses are administered. If nothing else works, hydroxychloroquine or methotrexate may provide relief.
Research into surgical removal of calcifications is underway, however this still remains an experimental procedure.
Once the process is recognized, it should be treated via the VIPs — vascular management, infection management and prevention, and pressure relief. Aggressively pursuing these three strategies will progress the healing trajectory of the wound. Pressure relief (off-loading) and immobilization with total contact casting (TCC) are critical to helping ward off further joint destruction.
TCC involves encasing the patient’s complete foot, including toes, and the lower leg in a specialist cast that redistributes weight and pressure in the lower leg and foot during everyday movements. This redistributes pressure from the foot into the leg, which is more able to bear weight, to protect the wound, letting it regenerate tissue and heal. TCC also keeps the ankle from rotating during walking, which prevents shearing and twisting forces that can further damage the wound. TCC aids maintenance of quality of life by helping patients to remain mobile.
There are two scenarios in which the use of TCC is appropriate for managing neuropathic arthropathy (Charcot foot), according to the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. First, during the initial treatment, when the breakdown is occurring, and the foot is exhibiting edema and erythema; the patient should not bear weight on the foot, and TCC can be used to control and support the foot. Second, when the foot has become deformed and ulceration has occurred; TCC can be used to stabilize and support the foot, and to help move the wound toward healing.
Walking braces controlled by pneumatics are also used. Surgical correction of a joint is rarely successful in the long-term in these patients. However, off-loading alone does not translate to optimal outcomes without appropriate management of vascular disease and/or infection. Duration and aggressiveness of offloading (non-weight-bearing vs. weight-bearing, non-removable vs. removable device) should be guided by clinical assessment of healing of neuropathic arthropathy based on edema, erythema, and skin temperature changes. It can take 6–9 months for the edema and erythema of the affected joint to recede.
Although a 2011 research article stated that disagreements between hand surgeons and rheumatologists remain regarding the indications, timing and effectiveness of rheumatoid hand surgery, arthritis mutilans may be successfully treated by iliac-bone graft and arthrodesis of the interphalangeal joints and the metacarpophalangeal joint in each finger.
Outcomes vary depending on the location of the disease, the degree of damage to the joint, and whether surgical repair was necessary. Average healing times vary from 55–97 days depending on location. Up to 1–2 years may be required for complete healing.
The bone edema in arthitis mutilans can be treated with TNF inhibitors in the short term: a 2007 study found that the bone edema associated with psoriatic arthritis (of which arthitis mutilans is a subtype) responded to TNF inhibitors with "dramatic" improvement, but the study was not determinative of whether TNF inhibitors would prevent new bone formation, bone fusion, or osteolysis (bone resorption).
If a contracture is less than 30 degrees, it may not interfere with normal functioning. The common treatment is splinting and occupational therapy. Surgery is the last option for most cases as the result may not be satisfactory.
Most hand injuries are minor and can heal without difficulty. However, any time the hand or finger is cut, crushed or the pain is ongoing, it is best to see a physician. Hand injuries when not treated on time can result in long term morbidity.
Antibiotics in simple hand injuries do not typically require antibiotics as they do not change the chance of infection.
There is no known cure for Winchester syndrome; however, there are many therapies that can aid in the treatment of symptoms. Such treatments can include medications: anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxants, and antibiotics. Many individuals will require physical therapy to promote movement and use of the limbs affected by the syndrome. Genetic counseling is typically prescribed for families to help aid in the understanding of the disease. There are a few clinical trials available to participate in. The prognosis for patients diagnosed with Winchester syndrome is positive. It has been reported that several affected individuals have lived to middle age; however,the disease is progressive and mobility will become limited towards the end of life. Eventually, the contractures will remain even with medical intervention, such as surgery.
Operations that attempt to restore a blood supply to the lunate may be performed.
Depending on the stage the disease is in when it is discovered, varying treatments are applied.
If X-rays show a mostly intact lunate (not having lost a great deal of size, and not having been compressed into a triangular shape), but an MRI shows a lack of blood flow to the bone, then revascularization is normally attempted. Revascularization techniques, usually involving a bone graft taken elsewhere from the body — often held in place by an external fixator for a period of weeks or months — have been successful at stages as late as 3B, although their use at later stages (like most treatments for Kienböck's) is controversial.
One conservative treatment option would be using an Ultrasound Bone Stimulator, which uses low-intensity pulsed ultrasound to increase vascular endothelial growth factor (VEG-F) and increase blood flow to the bone.
Some Kienböck's patients present with an abnormally large difference in length between the radius and the ulna, termed "ulnar variance", which is hypothesized to cause undue pressure on the lunate, contributing to its avascularity. In cases with such a difference, "radial shortening" is commonly performed. In this procedure, the radius (the lateral long bone) is shortened by a given length, usually between 2 and 5 mm, to relieve the pressure on the dying lunate. A titanium plate is inserted to hold the newly shortened bone together.
During Stage 3, the lunate has begun to break apart due to the pressure of the surrounding bones. This causes sharp fragments of bone to float between the joints, causing excruciating pain. At this point, the lunate is ready for removal. The most frequently performed surgery is the "Proximal Row Carpectomy", where the lunate, scaphoid and triquetrum are extracted. This greatly limits the range of motion of the wrist, but pain relief can be achieved for longer than after the other surgeries.
Another surgical option for this stage is a titanium, silicon or pyrocarbon implant that takes place of the lunate, though doctors shy from this due to a tendency of the implant to smooth the edges of the surrounding bones, thus causing painful pinched nerves when the bones slip out of place.
After the lunate is removed, another procedure, "ulnar shortening" can be performed. This relieves pressure on the newly formed wrist joint of the pisiform, hamate and capitate. Depending on the surgeon, the procedure may be performed the same way as the "radial shortening" where a small section is removed, or the entire top of the ulna may be excised.
At Stage 4, the lunate has completely disintegrated and the other bones in the wrist have radiated downward to fill in the void. The hand now has a deformed, crippled appearance. The only procedure that can be done is the "total wrist fusion", where a plate is inserted on the top of the wrist from the radius to the carpals, effectively freezing all flexion and movement in the wrist. Rotation is still possible as it is controlled by the radius and ulna.
This is currently the last and most complete surgical option for Kienböck's sufferers.
Most of the treatments described here are not mutually exclusive — meaning that a single patient may receive many of them in his quest to relieve pain. For instance, some patients have had casting, bone graft, radial shortening, proximal row carpectomy, and wrist fusion, all on the same hand.
Many oral treatments have been studied, but results so far have been mixed. Some consider the use of nonsurgical approaches to be "controversial".
Collagenase clostridium histolyticum (marketed as Xiaflex by [Auxilium]), a drug originally approved by the FDA to treat Dupuytren's contracture, is now an FDA-approved injectable drug for treatment of Peyronie's disease. The drug is reported to work by breaking down the excess collagen in the penis that causes Peyronie's disease.
Vitamin E supplementation has been studied for decades, and some success has been reported in older trials, but those successes have not been reliably repeated in larger, newer studies. A combination of Vitamin E and colchicine has shown some promise in delaying progression of the condition.
Some newer agents targeting the basic mechanisms of inflammation have been studied in larger clinical trials. These include potassium para-aminobenzoate (Potaba), pentoxifylline (acting through TGFβ1 inhibition), and Coenzyme Q10.
The efficacy of Interferon-alpha-2b in the early stages of the disease has been reported in recent publications, but it was found to be less effective in cases where calcification of the plaque had occurred in common with many treatments.
Without treatment, about 12–13% of patients will spontaneously improve over time, 40–50% will get worse and the rest will be relatively stable. This is based on a survey of 97 men and therefore based on the subjective impression of the patients. No objective long-term natural history via continual evaluation of patients has been recorded to date.
In hemophilia it may occur spontaneously, and recurrent hemarthroses are a major cause of disability in that patient group due to hemophilic arthropathy, requiring synovectomy, joint replacement and increased medical therapy to prevent further bleeding episodes.
Reducing hemarthroses events using intravenous administration of blood clotting factor concentrate on a regular basis starting in early childhood, reduces joint deterioration and increases the person's quality of life compared to "on demand" treatment (treating after a bleed). The minimal effective dose and best dosage frequency have not been established. It is not clear, due to lack of sufficient data, if preventative therapy with clotting factor concentrate is also effective at reducing joint deterioration if treatment is started after joint damage has occurred.
Jaccoud arthropathy (JA), Jaccoud deformity or Jaccoud's arthopathy is a chronic non-erosive reversible joint disorder that may occur after repeated bouts of arthritis. It is caused by inflammation of the joint capsule and subsequent fibrotic retraction, causing ulnar deviation of the fingers, through metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP) subluxation, primarily of the ring and little-finger. Joints in the feet, knees and shoulders may also get affected. It is commonly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and occurs in roughly 5% of all cases.
When associated with rheumatic fever it is also called chronic post–RF arthropathy.
Originally thought to be associated only with rheumatic fever, it has since been shown to occur also in SLE, Sjögren syndrome, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, psoriatic arthritis, vasculitis, ankylosing spondylitis, mixed connective tissue disease, and pyrophosphate deposition disease. It is distinct from bone erosion which is commonly associated with rheumatic arthritis, and also distinct from mild deforming arthropathy which is associated with SLE. There have also been cases of non-rheumatic JA associated with Lyme disease, HIV-infection and a number of other conditions.
Treatment focuses toward alleviating pain and in maintaining functionality of the affected joints through use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, antimalarial drugs and physiotherapy. Surgery is also a possibility, with osteotomy or stabilization with Kirschner intramedullary wire. Tendon relocation, however, has been shown to only work in 30% of cases. The condition is named after the French 19th century physician Sigismond Jaccoud.
There is no consistently effective medication for SMD, and there is little evidence for any effective treatment. In non-autistic or "typically developing children", habit reversal training may be useful. No treatment is an option when movements are not interfering with daily life.
Trochleitis is diagnosed based on three criteria: 1) demonstration of inflammation of superior oblique tendon/ trochlea region, 2) periorbital pain and tenderness to palpation in the area of the sore trochlea, and 3) worsening of pain on attempted vertical eye movement, particularly with adduction of the eye. It is important to identify trochleitis because it is a treatable condition and the patient can benefit much from pain relief. Treatment consists of a single injection of corticosteroids to the affected peritrochlear region. A specific "cocktail" consisting of 0.5 ml of depomedrol (80 mg/ml) and 0.5 ml of 2% lidocaine can be injected into the trochlea; immediate relief due to the effects of the local anesthetic indicates successful placement. However, great care must be taken as the injection is in the region of several arteries, veins and nerves. The needle should not be too small (so as not to penetrate tiny structures), the surgeon should draw back on the syringe (to ensure not have pierced a vessel), the lidocaine should not contain epinephrine (which could cause vasospasm), and the pressure of the injection must always be controlled. Only a limited number of injections can be made as they would otherwise lead to muscle atrophy. Diagnosis can be confirmed by response to this treatment; pain and swelling are expected to disappear in 48–72 hours. Some patients experience recurrence of trochleitis.
Up to a quarter of all severe ligament or capsular knee injuries leading to a haemarthrosis are associated with cartilage damage that can lead to progressive degenerative arthritis.
Prognosis depends on the severity of the disorder. Recognizing symptoms early can help reduce the risk of self-injury, which can be lessened with meditations. Stereotypic movement disorder due to head trauma may be permanent.
Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (abbreviated RS3PE or sometimes RSPE) is a rare syndrome identified by symmetric polyarthritis, synovitis, acute pitting edema (swelling) of the back of the hands and/or feet, and a negative serum rheumatoid factor. If no underlying disorder can be identified (idiopathic RS3PE), this entity has an excellent prognosis and responds well to treatment.
RS3PE typically involves the joints of the extremities, specifically the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints, wrists, shoulders, elbows, knees and ankles.
It is more common in older adults, with the mean age between 70 and 80 years in most studies.
It occurs more often in men than in women with a 2:1 ratio.
It is unknown how common this condition is.
No true psychiatric medications are prescribed for factitious disorder. However, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can help manage underlying problems. Medicines such as SSRIs that are used to treat mood disorders can be used to treat FD, as a mood disorder may be the underlying cause of FD. Some authors (such as Prior and Gordon 1997) also report good responses to antipsychotic drugs such as Pimozide. Family therapy can also help. In such therapy, families are helped to better understand patients (the individual in the family with FD) and that person's need for attention.
In this therapeutic setting, the family is urged not to condone or reward the FD individual's behavior. This form of treatment can be unsuccessful if the family is uncooperative or displays signs of denial and/or antisocial disorder. Psychotherapy is another method used to treat the disorder. These sessions should focus on the psychiatrist's establishing and maintaining a relationship with the patient. Such a relationship may help to contain symptoms of FD. Monitoring is also a form that may be indicated for the FD patient's own good; FD (especially proxy) can be detrimental to an individual's health—if they are, in fact, causing true physiological illnesses. Even faked illnesses/injuries can be dangerous, and might be monitored for fear that unnecessary surgery may subsequently be performed.
Psychotherapy, more specifically, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), is the most widely used form of treatment for Somatic symptom disorder. In 2016, a randomized 12-week study suggested steady and significant improvement in health anxiety measures with cognitive behavioral therapy compared to the control group.
CBT can help in some of the following ways:
- Learn to reduce stress
- Learn to cope with physical symptoms
- Learn to deal with depression and other psychological issues
- Improve quality of life
- Reduce preoccupation with symptom
Moreover, brief psychodynamic interpersonal psychotherapy (PIT) for patients with multisomatoform disorder has shown its long-term efficacy for improving the physical quality of life in patients with multiple, difficult-to-treat, medically unexplained symptoms.
Antidepressant medication has also been used to treat some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety that are common among people who have somatic symptom disorder. Medications will not cure somatic symptom disorder, but can help the treatment process when combined with CBT.
Because the exact cause of CBD is unknown, there exists no formal treatment for the disease. Instead, treatments focus on minimizing the appearance or effect of the symptoms resulting from CBD. The most easily treatable symptom of CBD is parkinsonism, and the most common form of treatment for this symptom is the application of dopaminergic drugs. However, in general only moderate improvement is seen and the relief from the symptom is not long-lasting. In addition, palliative therapies, including the implementation of wheelchairs, speech therapy, and feeding techniques, are often used to alleviate many of the symptoms that show no improvement with drug administration.
There is no standard treatment for the hand malformations in Apert due to the differences and severity in clinical manifestations in different patients. Every patient should therefore be individually approached and treated, aiming at an adequate balance between hand functionality and aesthetics.
However, some guidelines can be given depending on the severity of the deformities.
In general it is initially recommended to release the first and fourth interdigital spaces, thus releasing the border rays.
This makes it possible for the child to grasp things by hand, a very important function for the child's development. Later the second and third interdigital spaces have to be released.
Because there are three handtypes in Apert, all with their own deformities, they all need a different approach regarding their treatment:
- Type I hand usually needs only the interdigital web space release. First web release is rarely needed but often its deepening is necessary. Thumb clynodactyly correction will be needed.
- In type II hands it is recommended to release the first and fifth rays in the beginning, then the second and the third interdigital web spaces have to be freed. The clynodactyly of the thumb has to be corrected as well. The lengthening of the thumb phalanx may be needed, thus increasing the first web space. In both type I and type II, the recurrent syndactyly of the second web space will occur because of a pseudoepiphysis at the base of the index metacarpal. This should be corrected by later revisions.
- Type III hands are the most challenging to treat because of their complexity. First of all, it is advised to release the first and fourth webspace, thus converting it to type I hand. The treatment of macerations and nail-bed infections should also be done in the beginning. For increasing of the first web space, lengthening of the thumb can be done. It is suggested that in severe cases an amputation of the index finger should be considered. However, before making this decision, it is important to weigh the potential improvement to be achieved against the possible psychological problems of the child later due to the aesthetics of the hand. Later, the second and/or third interdigital web space should be released.
With growing of a child and respectively the hands, secondary revisions are needed to treat the contractures and to improve the aesthetics.
Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition disease, also known as pseudogout and pyrophosphate arthropathy is a rheumatologic disorder with varied symptoms and signs arising from the resultant accumulation of crystals of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate in the connective tissues. The alternative names emphasize particular aspects of the clinical or radiographic findings. The knee joint is the most commonly affected.
The exact cause of Kienböck's is not known, though there are thought to be a number of factors predisposing a person to Kienböck's.
Recent studies have made a correlation between Kienböck's sufferers and Western European ancestry, but no definitive link can be positively confirmed.
The necrosis of the lunate bone can frequently be traced to a trauma to the wrist, like a compound fracture, which could cause the lunate's blood supply to be interrupted. Blood flows to the lunate through several arteries, each supplying a percentage. When one of these pathways is severed, the likelihood the patient will develop necrosis increases.
Despite a preponderance of evidence, no particular cause has been conclusively verified.
Data exists on the internet that most people suffering from Kienböck's are affected in their dominant hand, though about one-third of sufferers report the condition in their non-dominant hand. In very few cases have there been people that have acquired it in both wrists.
Kienböck's disease is classified as a "rare disorder," meaning that it affects fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. population.
Many Kienböck's patients are frustrated by the lack of consensus among hand surgeons about optimal treatments for Kienböck's. No matter what the disease's stage of progression, there is no one best treatment, and the decision is often based partially, or even mostly, on incidental factors such as the patient's pain tolerance, the patient's desire to return to active use of the hand (such as in manual occupations), and the surgeon's level of expertise with different treatments.
Though, since each case of Kienböck's is different, the makeup of the wrist and arm bones are important factors which are individualized to each patient. Therefore, one surgery will never be able to solve all the problems associated with the disease. Thus, no consensus can be reached among surgeons.