Total Joint Arthroplasty for the Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint.

Abstract

Thumb carpometacarpal joint arthrosis is the second most common form of degenerative joint disease in the hand but the most frequent form of arthrosis treated surgically. Traditional surgical management involving trapeziectomy dates to the 1940s, with several modifications having evolved to improve stability, strength, appearance, and convalescence. However, although most outcomes of resection arthroplasty are good, they fail to completely restore the joint to its previous vitality, and strong clinical evidence of superiority of any technique is lacking. As total joint arthroplasty remains one of the crowning achievements in orthopaedic surgery overall, attempts to recreate the thumb carpometacarpal joint have continued to develop. The purpose of this article is to discuss the progress, design, technical aspects, and outcomes of total joint arthroplasty in the thumb carpometacarpal joint.