Surgery is usually considered a last resort if other treatment options fail to work.
The inflammation triggered by the condition cannot be treated with surgery.
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
What Is Psoriatic Arthritis?
Verywell / Danie Drankwalter
People with PsA may have joint pain before or after a psoriasis rash appears.
Some people may not have any skin symptoms at all.
PsA leads to bone damage, damaged cartilage, and inflamed joint fluid, which over time gets worse.
Inflammation also worsens and, subsequently, limited treatment options are available.
When Is Psoriatic Arthritis Surgery Recommended?
If your joints become severely damaged, your doctor may recommend totaljoint replacement surgery.
Joint fusion and synovectomy are also commonly used to treat PsA.
It is usually reserved for joint damage in the hands, ankles, or spine.
A synovectomy can be conducted on any affected joint.
Synovectomies can be performed on knee, hip, elbow, wrist or finger joints.
Surgery is not usually the first treatment option your doctor will consider.
Treatment typically starts with medications to control inflammation and pain.
Steroid injections and lifestyle changes can be part of the initial treatment.
Benefits and Risks of Psoriatic Arthritis Surgery
Surgery offers significant pain relief for severe cases of PsA.
Many prosthetic joints last for years.
However, a prosthetic joint can wear out and become unstable.
However, sometimes a joint replacement doesn’t improve symptoms as much as expected.
This is an unfortunate but possible circumstance and should be taken into account before you decide to get surgery.
Also, while rare, there is a chance the replacement will have issues like dislocation.
Other things to consider before surgery are recovery time and postsurgical care.
Recovery time depends on the extent of your surgery, the joint operated on, and your daily tasks.
If you have a sedentary lifestyle and career rather than physically demanding ones, recovery periods can be shorter.
To benefit the most from replacement surgery, pre- and postsurgicalphysical therapy(PT) is required.
After an anesthesiologist administers general anesthesia, your surgeon will make an incision above the affected joint.
The surgeon will then remove the damaged bones and cartilage.
The incision is closed with stitches.
During joint fusion, your doctor will make an incision in the area of the affected joint.
They may also use a bone graft to repair and rebuild bones.
Synovectomy can be performed as an open surgery orarthroscopy, a less-invasive approach involving smaller incisions.
You generally remain in the hospital overnight for observation.
After the joint heals, your doctor may recommend four to eight weeks of physical therapy.
Joint replacement surgery recovery also depends on the job a person is returning to.
Additionally, PsA surgery can cause lingering pain.
It is normal to have pain in the joint where surgery was performed.
The pain can last a few weeks or months.
Summary
You may need surgery for psoriatic arthritis if your joints become severely damaged.
Your doctor will often first recommend medical treatments to control the pain and slow disease progression before recommending surgery.
The surgical interventions for psoriatic arthritis include total joint replacement surgery, joint fusion, and synovectomy.
Your doctor will recommend a procedure based on your needs and the types of joints affected.
A Word From Verywell
Each person’s experience with psoriatic arthritis is different.
When considering if surgery is right for you, consult your doctor and go over the benefits and risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How else can you treat psoriatic arthritis before surgery?
Surgery is considered a last resort for the treatment of people with PsA.
Steroid injections and lifestyle changes often are also recommended.
How long will recovery from psoriatic surgery be?
Will psoriatic arthritis shorten your life expectancy?
Psoriatic arthritis is not life-threatening.
But early treatment significantly improves a person’s prognosis.
NYU Langone Health.Surgery for psoriatic arthritis.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ankle fusion.
HHS.Synovectomy: Surgery for inflammatory arthritis.
McLaughlin M, Ostor A.Early treatment of psoriatic arthritis improves prognosis.Practitioner.
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