The pattern of bone and cartilage damage in the rheumatoid knee.

Synovectomy has become a common operation in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis of the knee. The surgeon thus has a unique opportunity to inspect the macroscopical features at various stages of the disease process. In particular the early morphological changes can be studied in fresh material, even before radiological signs have appeared. Fifty consecutive cases of synovectomy of the knee were studied at operation in order to determine whether there is any constant pattern in the changes seen at synovectomy and, if so, to assess how the pattern is related to I) the duration of symptoms in the knee; 2) the macroscopic appearance and volume of the synovium removed; and 3) the presence and type of fibrinous bodies.