High frequency failure of the Moje thumb carpometacarpal joint arthroplasty

Immobilization, rehabilitation and complications classification after thumb trapeziometacarpal total joint arthroplasty. A scoping review

The best way of immobilization as well as effectiveness of rehabilitation for trapeziometacarpal total joint arthroplasty is unknown. We aimed to identify and describe the available evidence, practice variation and knowledge gaps. The literature was searched without restrictions. 123 studies were included, reporting 21 types of prosthesis. Reported immobilization types were cast (23%), splint (18%), compression bandage (10%), or combinations (26%). In 19%, immobilization time and type was not reported. Supervised rehabilitation (22%), self-rehabilitation (11%), functional use (11%), or customized rehabilitation (16%) were the rehabilitation forms reported. In 28% rehabilitation type was not described. Two (2%) studies used complication classifications, but time to complication was not described in 53 (43%). Multiple evidence gaps exist; lacking studies comparing types of immobilization protocols as well as rehabilitation regimens after trapeziometacarpal total joint arthroplasty. Currently there is no scientific evidence for any postoperative regime. This means that decision-making is based on clinical experience rather than evidence, explaining the wide practice variation.

[Current Trends in the Implantation of the Touch Prosthesis at the Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint: Results of the 1st German-Speaking User Meeting]

The introduction of the new generation of thumb carpometacarpal (CMC I) joint implants for the treatment of CMC I osteoarthritis has significantly broadened the scope of hand surgery in recent years. However, the technical demands of the procedure and the many details that need to be considered require appropriate training and a learning curve. To share experiences with the Touch CMC I prosthesis, we held the first German-speaking CMC I joint prosthetics user meeting in Zurich. After some basic introductory lectures on biomechanics and the principles of prosthetic fitting of the CMC I joint, the various challenges associated with CMC I joint prosthetics were discussed in interactive expert panels. Subsequently, cases were discussed in small groups under expert guidance and the respective conclusions were discussed in plenary. The main results of this symposium are summarised in this manuscript.

Total joint arthroplasty versus resection-interposition arthroplasty for thumb carpometacarpal arthritis: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 Thumb carpometacarpal (TCMC) osteoarthritis is a common condition that causes pain and functional limitations. We compared the outcomes of 2 surgical procedures for TCMC osteoarthritis, the Epping resection-suspension arthroplasty and the double-mobility TCMC prosthesis, and focused on pain relief, functional outcomes, and patient quality of life.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

 Over a 7-year period a randomized controlled trial including 183 cases of TCMC osteoarthritis was conducted comparing a double mobility TCMC prosthesis (Moovis, Stryker, Kalamazoo, MI, USA) with the Epping resection-suspension arthroplasty. Pre- and postoperative examinations included the range of motion (ROM), SFMcGill score, visual analogue scale (VAS), the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand questionnaire (DASH), and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS).

RESULTS

 At the 6-week postoperative follow-up, significant differences were found in VAS: Epping median 4.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.0-5.0) vs. TCMC prosthesis 2.0 (IQR 0.25-4.0), p = 0.03, effect size (area under the curve [AUC]) 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.73), in DASH score: Epping 61 (IQR 43-75) vs. TCMC prosthesis 45 (IQR 29-57), p < 0.001, AUC 0.69 (CI 0.61- 0.78), and in radial abduction: Epping 55 (IQR 50-60) vs. TCMC prosthesis 62 (IQR 60-70), p = 0.001, AUC 0.70 (CI 0.61-0.79). No significant group differences were found at the 6- and 12-months follow-up. During the follow-up period, 3 of 82 prostheses had to be revised but there was no revision in the Epping group.

CONCLUSION

The double mobility TCMC prosthesis had superior outcomes compared with the Epping procedure at 6 weeks; however, there were no significant differences in outcomes at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. The implant survival rate of 96% after 12 months was acceptable.

Thumb Carpometacarpal Implant Arthroplasty

Thumb carpometacarpal implant arthroplasty aims to preserve thumb length and motion and to provide pain relief and functional recovery after a short postoperative time. For several decades, implant arthroplasty has been performed with total trapeziometacarpal joint prosthesis using the concept of "ball-and-socket" joint. More recently, pyrocarbon implants used as hemiarthroplasty or interposition arthroplasty have been proposed. Whatever the type of arthroplasty used, the surgical technique must be precise and may require a learning curve. Implant arthroplasty has proven that in the medium and long-term, it may be considered as a valid and reliable alternative to trapeziectomy.

TOUCH® Prosthesis for Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Case Series

The dual mobility concept currently represents the newest generation of thumb carpometacarpal prostheses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of TOUCH^® prosthesis. From September 2019 to July 2020, 40 prosthesis were implanted in 37 patients suffering from symptomatic stage III osteoarthritis. All included patients with a median age of 57.7 (IQR: 13.6) finished the systematic follow-up regimen (4, 8, 16 weeks, 6, and 12 months postoperatively). All parameters significantly improved (p < 0.0001) compared to the preoperative status. At 1 year follow-up, median DASH Scores decreased from 54 (IQR 22) to 12 (IQR 28) and pain levels improved from 8 (IQR 2) to 1 (IQR 2). Moreover, key-pinch strength increased from 3.8 (2.0) to 5.8 (2.5), while palmar abduction, radial abduction, and opposition also significantly improved. 35/37 patients were satisfied with the functional outcomes. We observed 10 complications, of which 6 were tendon-related issues, and 2 were due to an inappropriate choice of neck size. We could detect one dislocation but no evidence of cup loosening, tilting or subsidence in any patient. Despite the occurrence of some complications, we recommend implantation of this prosthesis type due to favorable clinical and radiological performance.

Thumb CMCJ prosthetic total joint replacement: a systematic review

Thumb carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) arthritis is a common and painful condition. Thumb CMCJ prosthetic replacement aims to restore thumb biomechanics and improve pain and function. Early reviews demonstrated a lack of high-quality studies, but more recently a significant number of higher-quality studies have been published. This review provides a concise and systematic overview of the evidence to date.

A systematic review of several databases was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies evaluating the outcomes of thumb CMCJ prosthetic total joint replacement were included. Data extracted included patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), pain scores, range of motion, strength, survival rates and complications.

A total of 56 studies met all inclusion criteria and were analysed. There was one randomized controlled trial, three prospective comparative cohort studies, five retrospective comparative cohort studies, and 47 descriptive cohort studies. The reported studies included 2731 patients with 3048 thumb total CMCJ prosthetic joint replacements. Follow up ranged from 12 months to 13.1 years.

In general, good results were demonstrated, with improvements in PROMs, pain scores and strength. Failure rates ranged from 2.6% to 19.9% depending upon implant studied. Comparative studies demonstrated promising results for replacement when compared to resection arthroplasty, with modest improvements in PROMs but at a cost of increased rates of complications.

Studies reporting outcomes in thumb CMCJ prosthetic total joint replacement are increasing in both number and quality. Failure, in terms of loosening and dislocation, remains a concern, although in the medium-term follow up for modern implants this issue appears to be lower when compared to their predecessors.

Functional outcomes also look promising compared to resection arthroplasty, but further high-quality studies utilizing a standardized resection arthroplasty technique and modern implants, together with standardized core outcome sets, will be of value.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2021;6:316-330. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.6.200152

[What does the hand surgeon expect from the radiologist in diagnostic imaging of the hand?]

BACKGROUND

For hand surgeons, in addition to anamnesis and clinical examination, imaging is the essential component in diagnostics and the basis for therapy planning. The focus on the special field of the "hand" and the adjacent joints is limited with regard to the anatomical extent, but with regard to the possible clinical pictures it encompasses the entire range of pathological changes.

CLINICAL ISSUE

Which imaging techniques support the goal of maintaining the functionality of the hand?

PERFORMANCE

The carpal bones can be represented by computer tomography without superimposition. The navicular (scaphoid) should be evaluated sagittally in its longitudinal axis. MRI imaging is useful, for example, when assessing possible ligament injuries or ulnar-carpal complaints on the triangular disc. Stress images prove additional information in the case of of dynamic ligament or joint instabilities.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Imaging with conventional X‑rays is the basis of radiological diagnostics of the hand. In addition, the small structures of the hand and fingers to be assessed must be specifically visualized.

PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATION

In order to enable precise assessment of the fine and complex structures on the hand in relation to the clinical complaints, close communication of the anamnesis and questions with the radiologist is desirable.

Trapeziometacarpal prosthesis: an updated systematic review

The trapeziometacarpal prosthesis is mostly used in Europe to treat osteoarthritis of the basal joint of the thumb. Its supposed benefits are that it restores the length of the thumb, improves strength, function and mobility while reducing recovery time compared to other surgical treatments. However, previous reviews of the literature could not confirm these assumptions. This article provides an updated systematic review to help answer to these questions through a methodical statistical analysis and to quantify the two main complications, namely failure and deep infection. To achieve these aims, a selection of articles including implant case series was done in the Medline database based on specific criteria. Data about pain, function, strength, infection, and failure were compiled and a statistical analysis was performed. Results show a fast recovery in terms of pain and function but the positive effect on strength seems limited. The failure rate represented by the revision rate is high and the deep infection rate is fairly low. Randomized controlled studies are needed to obtain reliable data to compare the prosthesis to other surgical treatments.

Elektra prosthesis versus resection-suspension arthroplasty for thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis: a long-term cohort study

The present study compares 34 patients with thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (37 thumbs) treated with the Elektra® prosthesis, with 18 patients (18 thumbs) treated with resection-suspension arthroplasty, with an overall mean follow-up period of 13.3 years. Evaluation with disability of arm and shoulder scores, pain via visual analogue scale and range of motion (radial and palmar abduction, and opposition) indicated no significant difference. However, the cohort with a surviving prosthesis showed significantly better subjective grip strength (p  =  0.04). Complications occurred in 23 of the 37 thumbs in the prosthesis group compared with two in the resection-suspension arthroplasty patients. Seventeen prostheses required revision. At revision operations, we observed local signs of metallosis in 15 of 17 cases. The patients receiving resection-suspension arthroplasty were more satisfied with their treatment (p  =  0.003). Therefore, we cannot recommend the implantation of Elektra® prosthesis and we speculate that the key problem of aseptic cup loosening is a result of the metal-on-metal bearing. Level of evidence: III.

Trends in Trapeziometacarpal Implant Design: A Systematic Survey Based on Patents and Administrative Databases

Hand function is inseparably linked to the condition of the thumb. The trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint that provides the different movements of opposition is one of the joints most affected by osteoarthritis, which causes an irreversible deformation of the bone. The ideal thumb carpometacarpal implant must restore range of movement, prevent complications, be biocompatible, and have good mechanical properties (ie, low wear, high corrosion resistance, and osteointegration properties where it is anchored in a bone). The integrity of the implant and the surrounding biological structures must be long-lasting and withstand constant stresses induced by the prosthesis. Three main types of implant systems for the thumb are currently clinically available; others are under investigation in human subjects. This systematic review is based on administrative databases, patents, the literature, and information from orthopedic companies. It provides a summary of strategies and design changes and an overview of the biomechanical characteristics of currently available carpometacarpal implants for treating osteoarthritis of the thumb.

Functional outcomes after surgery for thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis

There are a number of possible assessments of functional outcomes for thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis. The most important and easiest to measure is pain, but it is not the only material outcome. Functional scores for measuring the outcome of the treatment of thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis have been recommended for some time, but are still not widely used even in published studies. It is also unclear which functional scores are the most valuable. Easily used scores, such as the Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, are freely available, but may not be sensitive enough to assess outcomes especially of thumb carpometacarpal joint arthroplasty. The optimal functional outcome measurement would be weighted for the individual patient. A minimum dataset needs to be defined in order to compare studies and derive meaningful data.

Failure Rates of Base of Thumb Arthritis Surgery: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

The purpose of the current review was to estimate failure rates of trapeziometacarpal (TMC) implants and compare against failure rates of nonimplant techniques for surgical treatment of TMC joint (basal thumb joint) arthritis.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted to identify articles reporting on thumb implant arthroplasty and on nonimplant arthroplasty techniques for treatment of base of thumb arthritis in the English literature. The collected data were combined to calculate failure rates per 100 procedure-years. Failure was defined by the requirement for a secondary salvage procedure. The failure rates between different implant and nonimplant arthroplasty groups were compared directly and implants with higher than anticipated failure rates were identified.

RESULTS

One hundred twenty-five articles on implant arthroplasty and 33 articles on the outcome of nonimplant surgical arthroplasty of the TMC joint were included. The implant arthroplasty failure rates per 100 procedure-years were total joint replacement (2.4), hemiarthroplasty (2.5), interposition with partial trapezial resection (4.5), interposition with complete trapezial resection (1.7), and interposition with no trapezial resection (4.5). The nonimplant arthroplasty failure rates per 100 procedure-years were: trapeziectomy (0.49), joint fusion (0.52), and trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction ± tendon interposition (0.23).

CONCLUSIONS

Several implant designs (arthroplasties) had high rates of failure due to aseptic loosening, dislocation, and persisting pain. Furthermore, some implants had higher than anticipated failure rates than other implants within each class. Overall, the failure rates of nonimplant techniques were lower than those of implant arthroplasty.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic IV.

Ivory arthroplasty for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: 10-year follow-up

This prospective study investigates long-term functional outcome after total trapeziometacarpal joint replacement with the Ivory arthroplasty for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. Clinical outcome, overall function, pain, and radiologic outcome after a minimum of 10 years were evaluated for 26 Ivory arthroplasty in 24 patients. Two patients had bilateral arthroplasties. The female to male ratio was 22:2, and the mean age was 71 years (range 57-83). The mean follow-up period was 130 months (range 120-142). Overall functioning as defined by the QuickDASH score and visual analogue pain score improved by 50% and 81%, respectively, when compared with the preoperative status. However, these outcomes deteriorated beyond 5 years after surgery. Long-term results suggest the Ivory arthroplasty to be a reliable treatment for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis since it improves overall function and reduces pain up to 10 years postoperatively. However, revision within 10 years after surgery was needed in four of 26 cases. Level of evidence: II.

[Surgery for inflammatory rheumatic joint destruction]

Orthopaedic and traumatologic involvement in patients with rheumatic diseases require extensive knowledge of these immunologically impairing illnesses. This concerns both the handling of medication and conservative treatment. The destructive processes of the joints and the spine follow established pathways. Various operating procedures are helpful depending on the stage of articular destruction. The special features of the entire perioperative management of affected persons has to be observed. Soft tissue surgical interventions are followed by arthrodesis or arthroplasty in later courses of destruction. In Germany, the orthopaedic rheumatologist specializes in the conservative and surgical treatment of inflammatory systemic diseases. Audited centres for operative interventions of the German Society for Orthopaedic Rheumatology (DGORh) seem to be the best fit for this purpose.

Total Endoprosthesis Versus Lundborg´s Resection Arthroplasty for the Treatment of Trapeziometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis

Background:

There exist various operative approaches for the treatment of trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to compare the results of Lundsborg’s resection arthroplasty (RA) with implantation of a total endoprosthesis.

Patients and Methods:

In this 2-center study, we retrospectively analyzed 71 patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the carpometacarpal I joint stage III according to the Eaton-Littler classification. Thirty-two patients underwent a Lundsborg’s RA group, and 39 patients received a total endoprosthesis of the carpometacarpal I joint (TEP group). We evaluated operative time, DASH score, postoperative time until resolution of symptoms, pain level, pinch force, and satisfaction with the treatment.

Results:

Both groups had a similar mean length of follow-up of 42 months (TEP group) and 36 months (RA group). The final DASH score was significantly better in the TEP-group (10.1 versus 21.5 in the RA group; P ≤ 0.05). Also, the time interval from surgery till absence of any pain (1.5 versus 5.9 months) and the time of inability to work (6 versus 21 weeks) were significantly shorter for the TEP group compared with the RA group (P ≤ 0.05). The pinch force, pain intensity, and the satisfaction with the treatment were comparable (P > 0.05). The duration of the operation was significantly shorter in the RA group (31 min versus 65 min in the TEP group; P ≤ 0.05).

Conclusion:

Both techniques resulted in improved function of the operated hand and a clear reduction of symptoms. However, the implantation of a total endoprosthesis seems to have advantages, given a significantly better DASH score and a significantly shorter time until resolution of symptoms.

Failure of an uncemented thumb carpometacarpal joint ceramic prosthesis

Thumb carpometacarpal joint replacement is associated with high rates of loosening and failure. We present our results for an uncemented ceramic-ceramic total joint prosthesis with a reverse ball-and-socket design and bioactive coating. Between 2008 and 2012, 29 prostheses were inserted into 28 patients (mean age 63 years) with advanced osteoarthritis. After a mean period of 33 months (range 9-62), 26 patients (27 implants) were available for follow-up. Six months postoperatively, 50% of the patients had radiological evidence of early loosening. Fifteen implants had been removed in 14 patients for aseptic loosening (13) or trapezium fracture (2). The 12 patients whose prosthesis was still in place had a mean visual analogue scale pain score of 1.9 (range 0-6) and a mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score of 23 (range 0-73.3). Eleven patients were satisfied with the procedure. The rate of early aseptic failure was unacceptably high.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

[Replacement of the thumb carpometacarpal joint : Current importance of endoprosthetics for operative treatment of rhizarthrosis]

The role of joint replacement in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint is a subject of considerable controversy in the current literature. In German-speaking countries this technique is used much less frequently than resection procedures. Aseptic loosening of the prosthesis is believed to be the major cause of the high failure rates reported for cemented and uncemented types of implants. In this study the different implant designs were evaluated on the basis of the results reported in the international literature. There are only a few studies that cover relatively long follow-up periods and provide convincing results for thumb carpometacarpal joint prostheses in terms of implant survival and function. Aseptic loosening is reported to be the major cause with failure rates of 50 % or more. Although a Norwegian study reported high 5 and 10-year survival rates for various thumb carpometacarpal joint prostheses according to the Norwegian arthroplasty registry, it did not recommend the widespread use of thumb carpometacarpal joint replacement at the present time. In our opinion, joint replacement may be considered as a possible treatment option for advanced osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint but it should not always be recommended because long-term results are inconsistent and similar functional outcomes have been reported for alternative surgical techniques, such as resection arthroplasty.

WITHDRAWN: Surgery for thumb (trapeziometacarpal joint) osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

Surgery is used to treat persistent pain and dysfunction at the base of the thumb when conservative management, such as splinting, or medical management, such as oral analgesics, is no longer adequate in reducing disability and pain. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2005.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of different surgical techniques for trapeziometacarpal (thumb) osteoarthritis.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the following sources up to 08 August 2013: CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2013, Issue 8), MEDLINE (1950 to August 2013), EMBASE (1974 to August 2013), CINAHL (1982 to August 2013), Clinicaltrials.gov (to August 2013) and World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Trials Portal (to August 2013).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs where the intervention was surgery for people with thumb osteoarthritis. Outcomes were pain, physical function, quality of life, patient global assessment, adverse events, treatment failure or trapeziometacarpal joint imaging.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by the Cochrane Collaboration. Two review authors independently screened and included studies according to the inclusion criteria, assessed the risk of bias and extracted data, including adverse events.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 11 studies with 670 participants. Seven surgical procedures were identified (trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI), trapeziectomy, trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction, trapeziectomy with interpositional arthroplasty (IA), Artelon joint resurfacing, arthrodesis and Swanson joint replacement). We did not find any studies that compared surgery with sham surgery or surgery with non-surgical interventions.Most included studies had an unclear risk of most biases which raises doubt about the results. No procedure demonstrated any superiority over another in terms of pain, physical function, quality of life, patient global assessment, adverse events, treatment failure (re-operation) or trapeziometacarpal joint imaging. One study demonstrated a difference in adverse events (mild-moderate swelling) between Artelon joint replacement and trapeziectomy with tendon interposition. However, the quality of evidence was very low due to a high risk of bias and imprecision of results.Low quality evidence suggests trapeziectomy with LRTI may not provide additional benefits or result in more adverse events over trapeziectomy alone. Mean pain (three studies, 162 participants) was 26 mm on a 0 to 100 mm VAS (0 is no pain) for trapeziectomy alone, trapeziectomy with LRTI reduced pain by a mean of 2.8 mm (95% confidence interval (CI) -9.8 to 4.2) or an absolute reduction of 3% (-10% to 4%). Mean physical function (three studies, 211 participants) was 31.1 points on a 0 to 100 point scale (0 is best physical function, or no disability) with trapeziectomy alone, trapeziectomy with LRTI resulted in sightly lower function scores (standardised mean difference 0.1, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.32), an equivalent to a worsening of 0.2 points (95% CI -5.8 to 6.1) on a 0 to 100 point scale (absolute decrease in function 0.03% (-0.83% to 0.88%)). Low quality evidence from four studies (328 participants) indicates that the mean number of adverse events was 10 per 100 participants for trapeziectomy alone, and 19 events per 100 participants for trapeziectomy with LRTI (RR 1.89, 95% CI 0.96 to 3.73) or an absolute risk increase of 9% (95% CI 0% to 28%). Low quality evidence from one study (42 participants) indicates that the mean scapho-metacarpal distance was 2.3 mm for the trapeziectomy alone group, trapeziectomy with LRTI resulted in a mean of 0.1 mm less distance (95% CI -0.81 to 0.61). None of the included trials reported global assessment, quality of life, and revision or re-operation rates.Low-quality evidence from two small studies (51 participants) indicated that trapeziectomy with LRTI may not improve function or slow joint degeneration, or produce additional adverse events over trapeziectomy and ligament reconstruction.We are uncertain of the benefits or harms of other surgical techniques due to the mostly low quality evidence from single studies and the low reporting rates of key outcomes. There was insufficient evidence to assess if trapeziectomy with LRTI had additional benefit over arthrodesis or trapeziectomy with IA. There was also insufficient evidence to assess if trapeziectomy with IA had any additional benefit over the Artelon joint implant, the Swanson joint replacement or trapeziectomy alone.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We did not identify any studies that compared surgery to sham surgery or to non-operative treatments. We were unable to demonstrate that any technique confers a benefit over another technique in terms of pain and physical function. Furthermore, the included studies were not of high enough quality to provide conclusive evidence that the compared techniques provided equivalent outcomes.

Retrospective Study of a Series of 20 Ivory Prostheses in the Treatment of Trapeziometacarpal Osteoarthritis

Background Many surgical treatment options for osteoarthritis (OA) of the trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint exist. However, no procedure has been proven superior. Good results have been described for TMC joint replacement. Purpose To analyze the results of the Ivory prosthesis in the treatment of symptomatic TMC OA. Patients and Methods A retrospective single-center follow-up study was performed. Visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score, Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ), active range of motion, strength, and radiological outcomes were assessed and analyzed. Differences between the operated and nonoperated hand were analyzed using paired t-tests. Twenty patients were included with a mean follow-up duration of 37.0 months. Results Patients experienced minimal pain with a mean VAS pain score of 1.9. DASH and MHQ scores indicated mild to moderate impairments. Eighty-five percent of patients assessed the operation excellent or good. Significant differences were found in measurements of extension and palmar thumb abduction in favor of the contralateral hand. No significant differences in strength between both hands were found. Two patients had a dislocation of the prosthesis; one patient required open reduction and tightening of the joint capsule. The other dislocation was treated with trapeziectomy and interposition of a fascia lata allograft. One patient had a collapse of the trapezium requiring a revision procedure. Conclusion Ivory prosthesis TMC arthroplasty can achieve good results in patients with symptomatic isolated TMC OA. In this series, however, revision surgery was required in 3 of 20 cases.

The design and development of a finger joint simulator

Artificial finger joints lack the long-term clinical success seen with hip and knee prostheses. In part, this can be explained by the challenges of rheumatoid arthritis, a progressive disease which attacks surrounding tissues as well as the joint itself. Therefore, the natural finger joints’ biomechanics are adversely affected, and consequently, this imbalance due to subluxing forces further challenges any prosthesis. Many different designs of finger prosthesis have been offered over a period of greater than 50 years. Most of these designs have failed, and it is likely that many of these failures could have been identified had the prostheses been appropriately tested prior to implantation into patients. While finger joint simulators have been designed, arguably only those from a single centre have been able to reproduce clinical-type failures of the finger prostheses tested in them. This article describes the design and development of a finger simulator at Durham University, UK. It explains and justifies the engineering decisions made and thus the evolution of the finger simulator. In vitro results and their linkage to clinical-type failures are outlined to help to show the effectiveness of the simulator. Failures of finger implants in vivo continue to occur, and the need for appropriate in vitro testing of finger prostheses remains strong.

Ceramic trapezio-metacarpal arthroplasty: Probably half is better than full

Trapezio-metacarpal arthroplasty is one of the several treatment options available for painful first carpo-metacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis of hand. In India, we have only Moje ceramic implants available for CMC arthroplasty. Although the literature cites high frequency of loosening and failure with use of Moje ceramic prostheses, all these studies describe results with total carpometacarpal arthroplasty. We expected that hemi-arthroplasty alone, by virtue of trapezium preservation leading to optimal capsular and ligament tensioning will provide good outcome. We wish to present first case of long-term successful outcome of Moje hemi trapezio-metacarpal arthroplasty from India as well as internationally.

Thumb carpometacarpal joint total arthroplasty: a systematic review

Thumb carpometacarpal joint total arthroplasty has been undertaken for many years. The proponents believe the short-term outcomes are better than trapeziectomy and its variants, but the longer term complications are often higher. This systematic review of all peer reviewed articles on thumb carpometacarpal joint total arthroplasty for osteoarthritis shows that there are reports of many implants. Some are no longer available. The reported outcomes are very variable: for some there are good long-term outcomes to beyond 10 years ; for others there are unacceptably high early rates of failure. Overall the published evidence does not show that total arthroplasty is better than trapeziectomy and its variants yet there is a higher complication rate and significant extra cost of using an implant. Future research needs to compare total arthroplasty with trapeziectomy to assess short term results where the arthroplasties may be better, long-term outcomes and the healthcare and personal costs so that surgeons and patients can make fully informed choices about the treatment of symptomatic thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis.

A software tool for prediction of prosthesis failure at the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb

Early recognition of prosthesis failure is difficult. A tool that helps to identify faulty prosthesis - a cause of early implant loosening - is needed. The aim of this study was to detect early implant loosening by applying a software program EBRA (Ein-Bild-Röntgen-Analyse). EBRA was applied to the radiographs of a series of 76 patients, with a total of 102 thumb carpometacarpal joint de la Caffinière prostheses, with an average follow-up of 14.5 months (range 0.5-24). The data were used to draw graphs of cup migration and inclination over time. Corresponding regression lines of migration and inclination in relation to time were made up to the point of loosening. The gradient of regression was calculated for all implants. The gradient of regression on the x and y axes differed significantly between stable and loose implants. Loose and stable implants showed significantly different cup migration on the x and y axes over time. EBRA proved to be a reliable tool to visualize cup migration in the trapeziometacarpal joint and to predict implant failure.

Surgery for thumb (trapeziometacarpal joint) osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

Surgery is used to treat persistent pain and dysfunction at the base of the thumb when conservative management, such as splinting, or medical management, such as oral analgesics, is no longer adequate in reducing disability and pain. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2005.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of different surgical techniques for trapeziometacarpal (thumb) osteoarthritis.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the following sources up to 08 August 2013: CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2013, Issue 8), MEDLINE (1950 to August 2013), EMBASE (1974 to August 2013), CINAHL (1982 to August 2013), Clinicaltrials.gov (to August 2013) and World Health Organization (WHO) Clinical Trials Portal (to August 2013).

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs where the intervention was surgery for people with thumb osteoarthritis. Outcomes were pain, physical function, quality of life, patient global assessment, adverse events, treatment failure or trapeziometacarpal joint imaging. We excluded trials that compared non-surgical interventions with surgery.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by the Cochrane Collaboration. Two review authors independently screened and included studies according to the inclusion criteria, assessed the risk of bias and extracted data, including adverse events.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 11 studies with 670 participants. Seven surgical procedures were identified (trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI), trapeziectomy, trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction, trapeziectomy with interpositional arthroplasty (IA), Artelon joint resurfacing, arthrodesis and Swanson joint replacement).Most included studies had an unclear risk of most biases which raises doubt about the results. No procedure demonstrated any superiority over another in terms of pain, physical function, quality of life, patient global assessment, adverse events, treatment failure (re-operation) or trapeziometacarpal joint imaging. One study demonstrated a difference in adverse events (mild-moderate swelling) between Artelon joint replacement and trapeziectomy with tendon interposition. However, the quality of evidence was very low due to a high risk of bias and imprecision of results.Low quality evidence suggests trapeziectomy with LRTI may not provide additional benefits or result in more adverse events over trapeziectomy alone. Mean pain (three studies, 162 participants) was 26 mm on a 0 to 100 mm VAS (0 is no pain) for trapeziectomy alone, trapeziectomy with LRTI reduced pain by a mean of 2.8 mm (95% confidence interval (CI) -9.8 to 4.2) or an absolute reduction of 3% (-10% to 4%). Mean physical function (three studies, 211 participants) was 31.1 points on a 0 to 100 point scale (0 is best physical function, or no disability) with trapeziectomy alone, trapeziectomy with LRTI resulted in sightly lower function scores (standardised mean difference 0.1, 95% CI -0.30 to 0.32), an equivalent to a worsening of 0.2 points (95% CI -5.8 to 6.1) on a 0 to 100 point scale (absolute decrease in function 0.03% (-0.83% to 0.88%)). Low quality evidence from four studies (328 participants) indicates that the mean number of adverse events was 10 per 100 participants for trapeziectomy alone, and 19 events per 100 participants for trapeziectomy with LRTI (RR 1.89, 95% CI 0.96 to 3.73) or an absolute risk increase of 9% (95% CI 0% to 28%). Low quality evidence from one study (42 participants) indicates that the mean scapho-metacarpal distance was 2.3 mm for the trapeziectomy alone group, trapeziectomy with LRTI resulted in a mean of 0.1 mm less distance (95% CI -0.81 to 0.61). None of the included trials reported global assessment, quality of life, and revision or re-operation rates.Low-quality evidence from two small studies (51 participants) indicated that trapeziectomy with LRTI may not improve function or slow joint degeneration, or produce additional adverse events over trapeziectomy and ligament reconstruction.We are uncertain of the benefits or harms of other surgical techniques due to the mostly low quality evidence from single studies and the low reporting rates of key outcomes. There was insufficient evidence to assess if trapeziectomy with LRTI had additional benefit over arthrodesis or trapeziectomy with IA. There was also insufficient evidence to assess if trapeziectomy with IA had any additional benefit over the Artelon joint implant, the Swanson joint replacement or trapeziectomy alone.We did not find any studies that compared any other combination of the other techniques mentioned above or any other techniques including a sham procedure.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We did not identify any studies that compared surgery to sham surgery and we excluded studies that compared surgery to non-operative treatments. We were unable to demonstrate that any technique confers a benefit over another technique in terms of pain and physical function. Furthermore, the included studies were not of high enough quality to provide conclusive evidence that the compared techniques provided equivalent outcomes.

Small joints replacement for hand osteoarthritis: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Small joints replacement is a valid treatment for moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the hand. Several design and materials are now available for prostethic procedures with very different clinical and functional outcomes.

SOURCES OF DATA

An online search was carried out using Medline, Cochrane and Google scholar online databases, searching for studies on small joints replacement in hand surgery.

AREAS OF AGREEMENT

Good functional and clinical outcomes can be achieved with silicone and pyrolitic carbon implants, either for trapeziometacarpal and metacarpophalangeal joints. In particular, the silicone spacer seems to be very effective for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthrosis, while the pyrolitic carbon total joint prosthesis produces excellent outcomes if used for metacarpophalangeal replacement. Major complications, such as persistent pain and implant loosening, have still a variable rate of occurrence.

AREAS OF CONTROVERSY

Heterogeneity in the methodology of the assessments in the studies reviewed and the implants and techniques involved makes it difficult to carry out a complete and effective comparative analysis of the data collected.

GROWING POINTS

Larger cohorts treated with the same implant should be investigated in better designed trials, to draw more clinically relevant conclusions from the evidences presented. Better methodology is also a goal to achieve, since the average Coleman Methodology Score measured for the articles included was 54.9 out of 100.

RESEARCH

More and better designed studies are needed to produce clear guidelines to define the better implant in terms of clinical outcomes, function and complications for trapeziometacarpal and metacarpophalangeal joints.

Ten-year long-term results of total joint arthroplasties with ARPE® implant in the treatment of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis

Between May 1999 and April 2002 a total of 69 consecutive thumb carpometacarpal joint arthoplasties were performed in a total of 64 patients for carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis using the cementless hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated unconstrained ARPE implant. Clinical, functional and radiological results at 10-year follow-up are presented. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Of the 64 patients, four were lost to follow-up, 60 implants (92.3%) were functional and five (7.7%) were not (two dislocated, two were removed and one with aseptic loosening). Survival estimate for functional implants over 10 years was 93.9% (95% confidence interval 82.3-97.9). The radiographs were satisfactory in 82.4%. There was subsidence of the cup in 15.8%. Thumb carpometacarpal joint arthroplasty with the ARPE implant offers a reliable treatment alternative in patients with Eaton grade III or IV thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis in the presence of good bone stock.

High incidence and treatment of flexor carpi radialis tendinitis after trapeziectomy and abductor pollicis longus suspensionplasty for basal joint arthritis

We reviewed the incidence and treatment of flexor carpi radialis tendinitis in 77 patients (81 thumbs) who had trapeziectomy and abductor pollicis longus suspensionplasty for thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis. Eighteen patients, 20 wrists (25%) had flexor carpi radialis tendinitis. The onset was 2-10 months (mean 4.7) after surgery. Two cases had preceding trauma. Eight cases (40%) responded to splinting and steroid injection. Ten patients, 12 wrists (60%) underwent surgery after failing non-operative treatment. Eleven wrists had frayed or partially torn flexor carpi radialis tendon and one had a complete tendon rupture with pseudotendon formation. Flexor carpi radialis tenotomy and pseudotendon excision were performed. All operated patients obtained good pain relief initially post-operatively. However, the pain recurred in two patients after 8 months. One required a local steroid injection for localized tenderness at the site of the proximal tendon stump. The other patient required a revision operation for scaphotrapezoid impingement. Both obtained complete pain relief. Our study has shown a high incidence of flexor carpi radialis tendinitis following trapeziectomy and abductor pollicis longus suspensionplasty. Patients should be warned about this potential complication.

Thumb CMC total exchange arthroplasty with the ARPE implant

We present two case reports of successful total exchange arthroplasty at the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb using an ARPE implant. In one patient (62-year-old female), a primary MOJE prosthesis had been implanted two years previous. In the second patient (48-year-old female), a primary ELEKTRA prosthesis had been implanted one year previous. At a follow-up of two and three years respectively, there were no changes in position of both ARPE implants and no signs of loosening. All clinical parameters (DASH score, pain through VAS, grip strength) had improved.

Partial trapeziectomy and pyrocarbon interpositional arthroplasty for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis: results after minimum 2 years of follow-up

A prospective study was undertaken to assess the outcomes of a series of patients treated using pyrocarbon implant arthroplasty after partial trapeziectomy for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. We analysed the results of this procedure in 27 trapeziometacarpal joints of 25 patients. The mean follow-up interval was 34 months (range 26-52). The study showed that pyrocarbon interpositional arthroplasty provided excellent pain relief and high patient satisfaction. Overall function, according to disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) score, improved from 48 points preoperatively to 14 points at the last follow-up assessment. Key pinch strength recorded in the operated hands was comparable with the results obtained in the contralateral hand and in healthy individuals from the same population. No further operations were performed in the study group. Partial trapeziectomy with pyrocarbon arthroplasty may prove to be a successful option for the treatment of trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. Further long-term comparative studies are warranted.

Surgical treatment of trapeziometacarpal joint arthritis: a historical perspective

BACKGROUND

The trapeziometacarpal (TMC) joint's unique anatomy and biomechanics render it susceptible to degeneration. For 60 years, treatment of the painful joint has been surgical when nonoperative modalities have failed. Dozens of different operations have been proposed, including total or subtotal resection of the trapezium or resection and implant arthroplasty. Proponents initially report high levels of patient satisfaction, but longer-term reports sometimes fail to support initial good results. To date, no one procedure has been shown to be superior to another.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES

This review sought to identify factors responsible for the development of many different procedures to treat the same pathology and factors influencing whether procedures remain in the armamentarium or are abandoned.

METHODS

I performed a nonsystematic historical review of English-language surgical journals using the key words "carpometacarpal arthritis", or "trapeziometacarpal arthritis", and "surgery" in combination with "history" using the PubMed database. In addition, bibliographies of pertinent articles were reviewed.

RESULTS

The factors that led to many surgical innovations appear to be primarily theoretical concerns about the shortcomings of previously described procedures, especially about proximal migration of the thumb metacarpal after trapezial resection. Longevity of a particular procedure seems to be related to simplicity of design, especially for prosthetic arthroplasty. The evolution of surgery for TMC joint arthritis both parallels and diverges from that in other joints. For example, for most degenerated joints (even many in the hand), treatment evolved from resection arthroplasty to implant arthroplasty. In contrast, for the TMC joint, the 60-year-old procedure of trapezial resection continues to be performed by a majority of surgeons; many modifications of that procedure have been offered, but none have shown better pain reduction or increased function over the original procedure. In parallel, many differently designed prosthetic total or hemijoint arthroplasties have been proposed and performed, again with as yet unconvincing evidence that this technology improves results over those obtained by simple resection arthroplasty.

CONCLUSIONS

Many procedures have been described to treat TMC joint arthritis, from simple trapezial resection to complex soft tissue arthroplasty to prosthetic arthroplasty. In the absence of evidence for the superiority of any one procedure, surgeons should consider using established procedures rather than adopting novel ones, though novel procedures can and should be tested in properly designed clinical trials. Tissue-engineered solutions are an important area of current research but have not yet reached the clinical trial stage.

Long term outcome of trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction/tendon interposition versus thumb basal joint prosthesis

Several surgical techniques to treat thumb basal joint arthritis have been described. In this study we compared the results of a cemented thumb basal joint with trapeziectomy with a ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition. A questionnaire was sent to all 519 patients, 322 (with 382 procedures) responded. No significant differences were found when comparing impairment, pain, patient satisfaction and disability. Given the fact that the superiority of a prosthesis cannot be proven and the cost of the implant is greater, we recommend the trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition as opposed to arthroplasty as the first choice in the treatment of basal joint osteoarthritis of the thumb.

Bone mineral density of the trapezium in osteoarthritic trapeziometacarpal joints

The aim of this study was to test the precision and reliability of measurements of the bone mineral density (BMD) of the trapezium in patients with osteoarthritic trapeziometacarpal joints using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans and to assess whether there is an acceptable correlation between the BMD of the trapezium and that of the distal radius, for which normative data exist. We included 66 patients (52 women, 14 men) diagnosed with Eaton-Glickel stage II-IV osteoarthritis and a mean age of 59 years (range 40-77) in a prospective study. We found good intra- and inter-observer agreement of BMD measurements. Reliability was also good in repeated measurements. There was an indication of an increase in BMD with progression in the Eaton-Glickel stage. There was only a moderate correlation between the BMD of the trapezium and that of the radius.

A three-dimensional analysis of osteoarthritic changes in the thumb carpometacarpal joint

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the changes due to osteoarthritis (OA) occurring in the thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint by comparing quantitative geometrical measurements in computed tomography scans of healthy and pathological joints in various stages of OA. The measurements were (1) the subluxation of the metacarpal on the trapezium, (2) distance from the scaphoid centre to the metacarpal base, and (3) distance from the metacarpal base to the articulating surface of the trapezium. The three-dimensional position of three characteristic points on the metacarpal, trapezium, and scaphoid were detected in each of the 90 wrists we scanned. The distances between the points were compared by statistical analysis. With high accuracy, we have been able to confirm and quantify that subluxation occurs in the dorso-radial direction. A significant difference in trapezium height and joint space width was found between the OA and control groups. The results indicate how to restore the centre of rotation in surgical treatment of OA with total joint arthroplasty, but the clinical relevance of these findings has to be tested in further clinical studies.

Clinical and radiological outcomes of the Ivory arthroplasty for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis with a minimum of 5 years of follow-up: a prospective single-centre cohort study

We present the results of a 5 year prospective follow-up study on the functional outcome after total replacement of the trapeziometacarpal joint with the Ivory prosthesis (Memometal, Stryker Corporate, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA) in 22 patients. The female to male ratio was 21:1 and the mean age was 66 (range 54-78) years. The mean follow-up period was 67 (range 60-77) months after operation. Patient satisfaction was high. The mobility of the operated thumb was restored to a range of motion comparable to the contralateral thumb. Key pinch and grip strength improved by 13% and 31%, respectively. Overall function, according to Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) score, improved by 59%. Pain decreased by 85% according to the numerical rating scale. Radiological evaluation revealed no loosening of the implant after 5 years except in one patient who required revision due to polythene wear with secondary joint instability. Another patient had asymptomatic polythene wear that required no revision but remains in follow-up. The 5 year overall survival of the prosthesis was 95%. These medium-term results suggest that the Ivory arthroplasty is a reliable option for treating advanced trapeziometacarpal arthritis, because it appears to give a very good functional outcome and has the potential for long-term survival rates.

Analysis of failed Van Straten LPM proximal interphalangeal prostheses

The two-piece Van Straten Leuwen Poeschmann Metal (LPM) prosthesis was intended for the proximal interphalangeal joints. However, revision rates of 29% after 19 months were reported, as well as massive osteolysis. Five failed LPM titanium-niobium coated cobalt chromium components were obtained, three distal and two proximal, and subjected to a forensic retrieval analysis. Components were analyzed using a Talysurf contacting profilometer, ZYGO noncontacting profilometer, and environmental-scanning electron microscope. All components were heavily worn. In some regions the titanium-niobium coating had been scratched and penetrated. Elsewhere this coating had been removed where there was minimal scratching, which may have been due to corrosion between the coating and substrate. The osteolysis reported clinically was likely to be linked to the wear debris from the failed titanium-niobium coating and substrate.