Arthroscopic synovectomy in wrist arthritis

Surgical synovectomy was described more than one hundred years ago and later became a widely accepted method to reduce symptoms in arthritic joints during the latter half of the twentieth century. The advent of arthroscopy and specific motorized shaver systems enabled percutaneous synovectomy. The technique has been used in the treatment of different types of arthritic diseases and its use has been described for most peripheral joints of the body. This article reviews arthroscopic synovectomy in wrist arthritis, with emphasis on rheumatoid arthritis.