Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis also affects and destroys the hyaline cartilage, but it is a much more destructive and severe form of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease and often a disease that is not limited to a patient's single joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is most frequently found to involve several of the joints in a patient's body and it can be very disabling.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are not candidates for hip arthroscopy. Patients with moderate or severe rheumatoid arthritis usually require a total hip replacement to get complete pain relief.
Arthritic Hip Joint
(Arrow points to an area with no hyaline cartilage remaining)
Total Hip Replacement