The opera glass hand
Arthritis mutilans is a rare medical condition involving severe inflammation damaging the joints of the hands and feet and resulting in deformation and problems with moving the affected areas; it can also affect the spine. the first deformity occurs at the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints.The excess skin from the shortening of the phalanx bones becomes folded transversely, as if retracted into one another like opera glasses. Arthritis mutilans occurs mainly in people who have pre-existing psoriatic arthritis, but can occur, if less often, in advanced rheumatoid arthritis; it can also occur independently. Arthritis mutilans presents in about 5–16% of psoriatic arthritis cases, involves osteolysis of the DIP and PIP joints. The bone edema in arthritis mutilans can be treated with TNF inhibitors in the short term.
