Perioperative management of the patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Familiarity with the systemic manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis as well as familiarity with drug therapy used for the management of rheumatoid arthritis may be helpful in the avoidance of some postoperative complications. Drug effects on soft tissues and bone may complicate reduction, stabilization, and fixation of deformities. Evaluation of the patient with rheumatoid arthritis for extraarticular disease may also explain symptomatology, and reduce the incidence of complications by unrecognized contributions of soft tissue pathology of osseous and articular disorders.