Comparison of simulated key pinch after three surgical procedures for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: a cadaver study

Abstract

We performed a cadaver study using 18 fresh-frozen adult forearms and hands to compare the tendon loads required to generate progressively greater key pinch (0.5 kg to 2 kg) after three different surgical procedures to treat trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: isolated trapeziectomy, trapeziectomy followed by ligament reconstruction with tendon interposition and total joint arthroplasty using a Touch® implant. Thumb pinch was simulated by loading the main actuator tendons involved in the key pinch. Six specimens were randomly assigned to each of the three surgical procedure groups. Measurements were made before and after the joint surgery. Specimens that underwent trapeziectomy with or without ligament reconstruction with tendon interposition required significantly higher tendon loads than those with the implant to achieve the same pinch force. There was no significant difference between the isolated trapeziectomy and ligament reconstruction groups. Using the implant resulted in similar median tendon loads compared with those of the intact sample. Total joint arthroplasty with a Touch® prosthesis may yield a superior biomechanical profile in which the tendon loads needed to achieve a certain key pinch force are lower and better distributed between the actuator muscles compared with trapeziectomy with or without ligament reconstruction.