HealthWise KnowledgeBase
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Surgery
Surgical treatment may be used in a very small number of children whose juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) has caused severe joint deformity, loss of movement, or pain.
The main things to think about for surgery during childhood are the child's age and whether his or her bones are still growing. If at all possible, joint reconstruction is delayed until childhood bone growth is complete (at about 18 years of age).
Surgery choices
When surgery to correct joint deformity is needed, the more common procedures include:
- Reference Soft tissue releases of contractures. This involves cutting the muscles attached to an abnormally bent joint.
- Reference Total joint replacement. Important Reference things to consider include your child's age, the number of joints involved in the disease, and the impact on your child's mobility.
Other surgical procedures for JIA are recommended only in selected cases. These include:
- Osteotomy, which involves removing a wedge of bone to allow more normal alignment of the joint. It may be recommended for children who have severe joint Reference contractures Opens New Window.
- Reference Epiphysiodesis Opens New Window. In this surgery, the portion where growth occurs is removed in order to stop growth.
- Reference Synovectomy or tenosynovectomy. These are rarely used for JIA. Synovectomy involves the removal of the joint lining (synovium) and/or the covering of the tendon (tenosynovectomy) to reduce joint inflammation.
- Reference Arthrodesis Opens New Window. This is rarely used in children. It involves fusing two bones in a diseased joint so that the joint can no longer move.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: Reference June 5, 2012 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics
Reference John Pope, MD - Pediatrics |
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