Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition in which the immune system attacks the lining of the joints. Medical treatment by a rheumatologist is the foundation of care but where a joint has already been substantially damaged, surgical treatment can restore function and relieve pain.
Dr. Vaibhav Bagaria, Director of the Department of Orthopaedics at Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, provides surgical care for joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis, working alongside the patient's rheumatology team.
Unlike osteoarthritis, which is wear of the cartilage, rheumatoid arthritis is driven by inflammation of the synovium the joint lining. Persistent inflammation erodes cartilage and bone and stretches the surrounding ligaments.
Two features distinguish it clinically. It usually affects multiple joints symmetrically, often the same joints on both sides. And it is a systemic condition, affecting the whole body rather than one joint, which is why medical management sits with a rheumatologist.
Modern medical treatment has substantially changed the course of the disease, and severe joint destruction is less common than it once was. Where it does occur, joint replacement is often highly effective.
the immune system targets the joint lining.
family history increases risk.
a well-established and modifiable risk factor.
more common in women, and often beginning between thirty and sixty.
under continuing investigation.
In many patients, no specific underlying cause can be identified.
Seek urgent care for a single hot, red, severely painful joint with fever infection can occur in rheumatoid joints and is more likely in patients on immunosuppressive treatment. Also seek urgent assessment for sudden loss of function such as an inability to extend a finger, which may indicate tendon rupture, and for neck pain with arm or leg weakness, as the upper cervical spine can be affected in longstanding disease.
Duration of disease, current medication including biologics and steroids, disease control, which joints are affected, previous surgery, and functional limitations.
Assessment of the affected joint alongside the joints above and below, deformity, stability, tendon integrity, skin quality, and overall functional capacity.
X-rays show erosion and joint destruction. CT or MRI may be used in planning. Cervical spine imaging is often advised before any surgery under general anaesthesia, since instability at the top of the neck can occur in longstanding rheumatoid arthritis and affects how the airway is managed.
Led by a rheumatologist disease-modifying drugs, biologics and steroid management. Good disease control is the single most important factor in protecting joints and in achieving good surgical outcomes.
Where a joint is severely painful or non-functional despite good medical control, where deformity substantially limits daily life, or where a tendon has ruptured.
Surgery in rheumatoid patients requires particular attention to soft tissue quality, bone quality, infection risk and medication timing. It is planned rather than routine.
Physiotherapy immediately after the procedure is important. The procedure helps restore movement, while rehabilitation helps preserve and improve that movement during recovery.
Knee arthritis
Hip arthritis
Post-traumatic arthritis
Over two decades of orthopaedic surgical
experience
Internationally fellowship-trained in the USA,
Germany and Australia
Surgery recommended only when it is
genuinely the better option
Among India's earliest robotic joint
replacement surgeons
150+ peer-reviewed publications and multiple
device patents
Structured rehabilitation planned before the
operation, not after
Dr. Vaibhav Bagaria is Director and Head of the Department of Orthopaedics at Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, and one of the earliest surgeons in India to adopt robotic joint replacement. Over twenty-two years of practice he has treated patients across the full range of bone and joint conditions, with a particular focus on robotic knee and hip replacement, partial knee replacement, sports injury and arthroscopy, and complex pelvic and acetabular reconstruction.
Name
Dr. Vaibhav Bagaria
Experience
20+ Years
Qualifications
MS (Ortho) FASSI, FNUS, FNAMS..
Speciality
Practice
Schedule your consultation with Dr. Vaibhav Bagaria today
Dr Vaibhav Bagaria
Prarthana Samaj, Khetwadi, Girgaon,
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400004
02261305757
