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Both my wrists are affected by rheumatoid arthritis. My doctor feels I should only have replacement surgery for one wrist. Why not both?

Arthritis caused by systemic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, often affects both wrists. People with arthritis in both wrists probably should not have two fusion surgeries. Two wrist fusions make it very difficult to do everyday activities. If both wrists require surgery, many surgeons recommend fusing one wrist for strength and replacing the other wrist with an artificial wrist joint. This allows the patient to have one strong hand and one hand with a good range of motion.

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