Case 1: A 38-year-old male (weight 75 kg, ASA status III) was scheduled for right total hip arthroplasty (THA) due to severe bilateral rigid and sore hip joints. He had a history of ankylosing spondylitis for more than 18 years. Despite a long term usage of sulfasalazine and “painkiller”, the patient developed a rigid kyphotic and scoliotic deformity. An overall physical examination revealed rheumatoid arthritis involved most articles in the body resulting in limited movement and swelling of interphalangeal joints, metacarpophalangeal joints, elbow joints, shoulder joints, and ankle joints, with rigid bilateral hip and knee joints preventing any walk. The airway assessment revealed a Mallampati class III, interincisor distance of 3 cm, and rigid neck incapable of any movement. X-ray of his cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and pelvis revealed a loss of physiological curvature of the vertebral column, kyphosis, hyperplasia at the edge of the vertebrae, “bamboo” like bony bridge, blurred facet joints, and calcification of ligament, a fusion of both sacroiliac joints, rough articular face and narrowed articular cavity and hyperplasia of both hip joints (Fig. ). After administration, he received immunosuppressive therapy, with prednisone 20 mg per day, and methotrexate 10 mg once per week, and anti-TNF therapy with etanercept (TNF receptor fusion protein) 25 mg i.h. twice per week, and anticoagulation therapy with low-molecular-weight heparin 4000 U per day.
Case 3: A 26 years old female (weight 47 kg, ASA status II) was scheduled for left total hip arthroplasty. She was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis 14 years ago, with pain on almost all major joints of her body. She could not stand or walk because of bilateral femoral head necrosis. She had a family history of ankylosing spondylitis, with her father also suffered from this disease. Physical examination revealed rigidity of neck and left hip joint. X-ray of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae reported rigidity of the spine, calcification of interspinous ligament. X-ray of bilateral sacra-iliac joints, hip joints, knees and ankles reported narrow joint space, osteoproliferation, bone defect and joint deformity. The chest X-ray reported texture enhancement of bilateral lungs and infection of right lower lobe.