That's interesting. I played guitar for over 30 years before I ever really attempted to use barre chords and only forced myself to start using them when I accidentally cut off the tip of my left index finger (while slicing carrots for a salad) and could not play a C or F chord any other way for a month or two.   Then I discovered the advantage of the moveable F chord and used it, not really routinely, but quite often. There are some songs I just can't do easily without using that moveable chord.    The osteoarthritis in my left hand became noticeable at least 10 years before that, and I don't think the nodes - especially the Heberden's - were in any way the result of using barre chords. I'm not sure about the Bouchard's nodes, but the only one that could have developed BECAUSE of using barre chords would be the one on the index finger. It's possible that the noticeable bone spur that hits the fret board when I do a barre did develop or worsen from doing barre chords. In any case, I really would like to have it removed if it's feasible, so that I can use a barre when I need to.

It can be very limiting not to be able to do any barre chords at all (except for things like the moveable Fm chord).   I can't play a B chord any other way, for instance, and in most of the keys I can play well in, some songs do require chords like F# or B or Bflat.    Believe me, I use all sorts of "cheats" to accommodate the osteoarthritis, like doing minor melodic runs instead of using certain difficult chords, using 2 fingers to play a D chord, reverting to the non-barred F chord, etc.   

But this thread is really about treatments for the arthritic nodes in the fingers.    I think the topic of how to live (and play) with the limitations of osteoarthritis (and other ailments) is more likely to be found and noticed if we do it in a separate thread with a clear title.

BTW, I did try googling to find info on this topic, but even when I specified "surgical removal" or "surgery for," and "Bouchard's nodes" and "Heberden's nodes," I would get deluge of pages about anything and everything to do with arthritis, including dietary supplements and NSAIDs,    I thought with all the guitarists who frequent the Mudcat cafe, there well may be some who either have personal experience with removal of these nodes or may know of others who have.   

Genie