Less than 1%

Not many.

That’s a great question with an unknown answer. Of course, many if not most patients in the world with arthritis will not seek medical care, or do not have access to medical care. The real answer is that no one needs surgery for arthritis. The percentage of people who decide to get surgery for arthritis depends on the location of the arthritis anatomically. I would guess that it’s in the 10% to 20% range.

Harrison Solomon, M.D.

There is no percentage of arthritis cases that require surgery. That being said, the majority of patients with arthritis involving the hand do not require surgery. Non-operative treatment options include anti-inflammatory medications, splinting, cortisone injections and physical / occupational therapy.