Rheumatology

About the Institute

The Department of Rheumatology at SIMS Hospital, Chennai, is a centre of excellence for diagnosing and treating over 100 autoimmune and inflammatory conditions affecting joints, muscles, bones, blood vessels, and internal organs. Renowned as one of the best rheumatology hospitals in Chennai, our department delivers comprehensive care — from early diagnosis to long-term rehabilitation — with a strong emphasis on preventing deformities and improving quality of life.

The department is led by two eminent DM Rheumatology specialists, both trained at the prestigious Madras Medical College. Dr. N. Thilagavathi brings expertise in General Medicine and Rheumatology, while Dr. B. Arockiaraj, a qualified Paediatrician turned Rheumatologist, ensures expert care across both adult and paediatric spectrums — making SIMS a trusted destination for rheumatology treatment for all age groups in Chennai.

Key Highlights

• Appointment-based outpatient rheumatology consultations for timely, personalised care
• Inpatient rheumatology services including access to the Medical Intensive Care Unit in collaboration with the Internal Medicine department
• Dedicated day care biological drug injection and infusion therapy suite
• Advanced autoimmune diagnostic facilities including extensive laboratory testing and modern imaging modalities
• Comprehensive pharmacotherapy and clinical intervention programmes
• Specialised IVIG infusion therapy administered with continuous monitoring
• Multidisciplinary rehabilitation integrating physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychosocial support
• Surgical coordination with orthopaedics for joint replacement when indicated
• Round-the-clock rheumatologicalemergency management
• Community awareness programmes on rheumatic diseases through digital and outreach platforms

Comprehensive Services

Inflammatory Arthritis – Expert management of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and spondyloarthritis, targeting immune-mediated joint inflammation to prevent pain, swelling, stiffness, and long-term deformity.

Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD) – Specialised care for systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), scleroderma, Sjögren's syndrome, and mixed connective tissue disease, addressing multi-organ inflammation affecting skin, kidneys, lungs, heart, and joints.

Inflammatory Myositis – Targeted immunosuppressive treatment for polymyositis and dermatomyositis, including management of associated interstitial lung disease and characteristic skin manifestations.

Vasculitis – Comprehensive management of all vasculitis categories — large vessel (Takayasu arteritis, Giant Cell arteritis), medium vessel (polyarteritis nodosa), ANCA-associated, and immune complex vasculitis — with early intervention to prevent organ ischemia.

Reproductive Rheumatology – Specialised preconception, pregnancy, and lactation care for women with autoimmune diseases, including antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) management, DMARD and biologic therapy modification, and multidisciplinary coordination for congenital heart block risk.

Rheumatological Emergency Management – 24/7 emergency rheumatology care for acute flares including severe vasculitis, macrophage activation syndrome, catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome, and septic arthritis, with rapid access to high-dose immunosuppression, plasma exchange, IVIG, and biologics.

Paediatric Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Diseases – Age-appropriate rheumatology care for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, paediatric SLE, juvenile dermatomyositis, and autoinflammatory conditions like chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis, optimising growth and long-term outcomes.

Crystal Arthropathies – Expert diagnosis and treatment of gout and pseudogout through urate-lowering therapies and anti-inflammatory interventions to manage acute attacks and prevent recurrence.

Osteoporosis – Comprehensive bone health management with DEXA scanning, bisphosphonates, denosumab, and lifestyle guidance to reduce fracture risk and enhance skeletal health.

Other Systemic Autoimmune Diseases – Holistic care for sarcoidosis, Behçet's disease, polymyalgia rheumatica, and fibromyalgia, with integrated strategies for inflammation control, pain management, and multi-organ protection.

Rheumatological Disease Awareness Programmes – Community outreach through webinars, YouTube and Instagram videos, podcasts, animated infographics, and health camp brochures, targeting conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, vasculitis, and paediatric arthritis to promote early detection and reduce disease burden.

Advanced Diagnostic & Treatment Facilities

Diagnostics • Extensive autoimmune laboratory testing: anti-CCP, Rheumatoid Factor, ANA, CRP, ESR, ELISA, immunoblots, and more for precise disease profiling • Advanced imaging: ultrasound, X-ray, CT, PET-CT, and MRI for joint damage assessment, inflammation detection, and fluid analysis • Specialised procedures: joint fluid aspiration (including gout crystal analysis), DEXA bone density scanning, and skin/muscle biopsies

Treatment • Pharmacotherapy with DMARDs, immunosuppressants, corticosteroids, biologics, and biosimilars under close clinical monitoring • Ultrasound-guided joint and tendon injections for precision-targeted relief • Dedicated biological infusion therapy suite for safe administration of advanced biologic treatments • IVIG infusion therapy for autoimmune conditions including dermatomyositis, vasculitis, and macrophage activation syndrome, delivered in a state-of-the-art infusion suite with continuous monitoring • Multidisciplinary rehabilitation: physical and occupational therapy, psychosocial support, and patient education on lifestyle management and coping strategies • Surgical coordination with the orthopaedics department for joint replacements when required

Doctors

• Dr. N. Thilagavathi

• Dr. Mathai Thomas

• Dr. B. Arockiaraj

Specialised Departments

• Internal Medicine

• Orthopaedics

• Radiology

• Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

• Obstetrics & Gynaecology

• Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation