A Comparison of Different Surgical Techniques in Treating Degenerative Arthrosis of the Carpometacarpal Joint of the Thumb

Abstract

Between March 1977 and December 1991, 98 surgical procedures on 85 patients were performed at SOS Main Strasbourg for osteoarthrosis of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb. The mean age was 56 and 90% were female; 13 were operated on bilaterally. 40% had Swanson arthroplasties (group 1), 15% Ashworth-Blatt hemiarthroplasties (group 2), and 45% had soft tissue arthroplasties (group 3). 62 cases were reviewed at an average follow-up of 5 years. Normal thumb range of motion was obtained in all cases, regardless of the technique used. Complete pain relief was achieved in 77% of the cases in group 1, 37.5% in group 2 and 71% in group 3. 15% of group 1 and 50% of group 2 required surgical revision, either for displacement or fracture of the implants. No revision was necessary in group 3. One case of silicone synovitis requiring secondary surgery was noted 6 years after surgery, accounting for 2.9% of the total number of silicone implants reviewed, but radiological signs of silicone synovitis were much more common (56%). Proximal metacarpal migration in group 3 averaged 38% of the initial arthroplasty space, and was not related to the type of ligamentoplasty used, or presence or absence of an “anchovy”. The migration increased to 68% of the space if an associated MP joint arthrodesis was carried out at the same time. Complications included reflex sympathetic dystrophy (4% in group 1 and 14% in group 3). The Ashworth-Blatt hemiarthroplasty failed to gain satisfactory results, but both silicone arthroplasty and soft tissue arthroplasty proved to be useful procedures. However, due to the risk of synovitis the present treatment of choice is soft tissue arthroplasty.