Hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in refractory rheumatoid arthritis is not a contraindication for reconstructive surgery

I. Espigado, A. García¹, J.M. Rodríguez, A. Valenzuela¹, A. Marín-Niebla, M. Carmona 

Servicio de Hematología y Hemoterapia and ¹Servicio de Reumatología, Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Roc’o, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Sevilla. Spain.

ABSTRACT
Hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCST) is an experimental therapy that may produce prolonged remissions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) resistant to other treatments. Prosthetic articular replacement is often required in severe long-lasting disease. There is a well-founded concern regarding the feasibility and safety of reconstructive surgery after HSCT and as yet no published data on the subject. We report a patient with RA of 9 years' duration resistant to conventional treatments plus femoral head necrosis, who underwent prosthetic hip replacement with no post-surgical complications one year after HSCT, with a sustained reponse.

Key words
Prosthesis, hip, hema-topoietic stem cell transplantation, arthritis, rheumatoid, orthopedic joint. surgery.

Please address correspondence to: Dra. Alicia García, Division of Rheumatology, Hospitales Universitarios Virgen del Rocío, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Avda. Manuel Siurot s/n, Sevilla 41013, Spain.

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2003; 21: 643-644.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2003.