HISTOLOGIC-CHANGES IN RHEUMATOID DISEASE OF THE METACARPAL AND METATARSAL HEADS AS SEEN IN SURGICAL MATERIAL

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 8  (2) , 246-257
Abstract
A histologic study of surgically removed [human] rheumatoid metatarsal and metacarpal heads showed that, at this late stage of the disease, the changes in residual cartilage are mainly reparative. An outstanding change is the formation of a new surface under dead cartilage, analogous to the replacement of a snake''s skin. Dead cartilage must be eroded in toto. When live cartilage is exposed to vascular tissue, chondrocytes take part in the involutionary process. Chondrocytes also appear to initiate the process described as pannus. Deformities are often produced by flask-shaped defects showing severe marginal osteitis. Active erosion of the surface by synovial adhesions is probably overemphasized in the literature.

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