Current concepts in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis of the distal radioulnar joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may progressively affect all articulations of the wrist. Involvement of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) is common and may be the first clinical signs of symptoms of RA. When the DRUJ is affected by RA, upper extremity function can be affected. Effective surgical management includes the Darrach procedure, the Suave-Kapandji procedure, the hemiresection interposition arthroplasty procedure and extensor tenosynovectomy. The long-term effectiveness of DRUJ arthroplasty is currently unknown.