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Rheumatoid Arthritis — Hand

Autoimmune symmetric polyarthritis causing synovitis and progressive joint destruction—typical deformities in the hand: ulnar drift at MCPs, swan‑neck and boutonnière deformities, and caput ulnae syndrome. Early goal‑directed medical therapy with DMARDs/biologics is cornerstone; hand surgery addresses pain, deformity, and function (synovectomy, tendon procedures, joint arthroplasty/arthrodesis). Radiographs show periarticular osteopenia, marginal erosions, and joint space loss; ultrasound/MRI detect early synovitis/tenosynovitis. Flexor tenosynovitis with triggering and extensor tendon ruptures (Vaughan‑Jackson) are common hand manifestations.

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Autoimmune symmetric polyarthritis causing synovitis and progressive joint destruction—typical deformities in the hand: ulnar drift at MCPs, swan‑neck and boutonnière deformities, and caput ulnae syndrome. Early goal‑directed medical therapy with DMARDs/biologics is cornerstone; hand surgery addresses pain, deformity, and function (synovectomy, tendon procedures, joint arthroplasty/arthrodesis). Radiographs show periarticular osteopenia, marginal erosions, and joint space loss; ultrasound/MRI detect early synovitis/tenosynovitis. Flexor tenosynovitis with triggering and extensor tendon ruptures (Vaughan‑Jackson) are common hand manifestations.
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