Advances in the treatment of cervical rheumatoid: Less surgery and less morbidity

Table 2 Common rheumatoid arthritis medications and perioperative considerations

RA medication	Preoperative action
NSAIDs	Discontinue 3-5 half-lives before surgery
Corticosteroids	Administer perioperative stress doses
Methotrexate	Discontinue for 6-8 wk if possible
Biologic agents (TNF-α and interleukin-1 antagonists)	Discontinue preoperatively and hold until 10-14 d post-surgery

RA: Rheumatoid arthritis; NSAIDs: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor α.