Aims. To analyze the short-term outcome of two types of total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) in terms of wrist function, migration, and periprosthetic bone behaviour. Methods. A total of 40 patients suffering from non-rheumatoid wrist arthritis were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial comparing the ReMotion and Motec TWAs. Patient-rated and functional outcomes, radiological changes, blood metal ion levels, migration measured by model-based radiostereometric analysis (RSA), bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), complications, loosening, and revision rates at two years were compared. Results. Patient-Rated Wrist and Hand Evaluation (PRWHE) scores, abbreviated version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (QuickDASH) scores, and pain improved similarly and significantly in both groups. Wrist motion improved significantly in the Motec group only, and forearm rotation in the ReMotion group only. Cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) blood ion levels were significantly higher in the metal-on-metal (MoM) Motec group than in the metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) ReMotion group. Mean total translation was 0.65 mm (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26 to 1.12) and 0.27 mm (95% CI 0.14 to 0.47) for the ReMotion carpal and radial components, and 0.32 mm (95% CI 0.22 to 0.45) and 0.26 mm (95% CI 0.20 to 0.34) for the Motec metacarpal and radial components, respectively. Apart from dorsal and volar tilts, which were significantly higher for the radial ReMotion than for the Motec component, no significant differences in absolute migration occurred. BMD around the radial components never returned to baseline. Almost one-third of patients required reoperation due to complications. Two ReMotion implants were revised to Motec TWAs due to carpal component loosening, and three Motec MoM articulations were revised to metal-on-polyether ether ketone due to painful synovitis. Conclusion. Both implants provided matched function and were stable at short-term follow-up, but with a high complication rate. This procedure should be restricted to specialist centres undertaking prospective analysis until its role is clarified. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(10):1132–1141

Treatment of severe radiocarpal arthritis remains controversial. Since 1992, the newly designed universal total wrist arthroplasty has been used as an alternative to radiocarpal fusion. A total of 49 patients underwent total wrist arthroplasty between 1992 and 1998. A total of 43 patients with 47 wrists were available for follow-up. Thirty-two patients had rheumatoid arthritis, nine patients had osteoarthritis and two patients had Kienboch’s disease. The average age of the patient was 55 years and the average length of follow-up was 42 months. Results at follow-up showed 89% of the wrist were without pain. Neutral alignment was present in 96% of the wrists. A functional arc of motion was present in 87% of the wrists. Ninety-four percent of the patients were satisfied. Radiographs showed excellent alignment of the implant, without evidence of distal migration of the carpal component. Complications occurrred in 12 of 47 wrists (25.5%). Six of the wrists had a dislocation. Three wrists developed metallosis, requiring revision of the prosthesis. One patient required removal of the prosthesis and wrist fusion. The revision rate in this series was 11%. The fusion rate was 2%. Eleven of 12 patients had resolution of their complication with appropriate intervention, and did not require a salvage procedure. This study revealed that total wrist arthroplasty can result in a painless and functional wrist in the majority of patients. We feel that total wrist arthroplasty remains a viable alternative in patients with severe radiocarpal arthritis

There is an high incidence of failures of total wrist arthroplasties. We review our experiences in revising total wrist implant arthroplasties to arthrodeses. The most common mode of failure of the arthroplasties in our series was metacarpal loosening with dorsal perforation of the stem. Loosening of the proximal stem, progressive mal-position of the wrist and other causes appeared. We used for the revision arthrodesis in all our cases tricortical iliac crest bone grafts and additional spongiosa transplants from this donor site region. In one case we used a vascularized iliac crest bone graft to bridge the bone defect because of a bad host quality of the recipient area. Fixation was achieved with plates and screws. Our average follow-up period was 32 month. 40 patients with 41 failed wrist implants (3 different types) were treated with this technique. 40 wrist undergoing arthrodesis attained a solid painless fusion after a single operation. In one case a non-union with a loosening of the screws due to using a non-rigid plate was seen. In this case a revision was necessary to achieve a bone healing. All patients were satisfied, pain free and achieved an increased pinch and grip strength after bony fusion (measured with Yamar-Vigorimeter). A persisting loss of carpal height was seen in all cases. Arthrodesis after failed total wrist arthroplasty is a satisfactory salvage procedure even in cases with a bad quality of the recipient area. We recommend a rigid fixation technique to prevent non-unions

The February 2023 Wrist & Hand Roundup. 360. looks at: ‘Self-care’ protocol for minimally displaced distal radius fractures; Treatment strategies for acute Seymour fractures in children and adolescents: including crushed open fractures; Routinely collected outcomes of proximal row carpectomy; Moving minor hand surgeries in the office-based procedure room: a population-based trend analysis; A comparison between robotic-assisted scaphoid screw fixation and a freehand technique for acute scaphoid fracture: a randomized, controlled trial; Factors associated with conversion to surgical release after a steroid injection in patients with a trigger finger; Two modern total wrist arthroplasties: a randomized comparison; Triangular fibrocartilage complex suture repair reliable even in ulnar styloid nonunion

Introduction. Total Wrist Arthroplasty (TWA) for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of wrist allows pain relief and preservation of the movements. Aims. The aims of current study were to evaluate outcomes of Universal-2® TWA at a tertiary centre. Methods. This was a retrospective review of case notes of 92 Universal-2® wrist replacements performed from 2003 to 2009. There were 63 female and 14 male patients. Ten patients had bilateral wrist replacements. There were 5 patients lost to follow-up and 2 patients died at 2 and 4 years following TWA, due to un-related causes. The available literature related to Universal implant was also reviewed. Results. The indication was RA in 83 wrists, 3 had severe osteoarthritis and one had post-traumatic arthritis following scaphoid fracture. Mean age was 60 years (26 to 86 years) and mean follow-up of 51 months (13 to 94 months). Post-operatively pain relief was achieved in 91.2% and patient satisfaction was 86%. Movements were preserved with mean dorsiflexion of 23. o. and palmarflexion of 21. o. An interim study of 34 patients showed VAS pain score improved from 5.4 to 1.7 and DASH score improvement of 14 points. Radiologically, intercarpal fusion was noted in 85% of the cases. Minor complications included; joint stiffness (10%, n=14), wrist pain (9%, n=8) and superficial infection in 2 cases (2.3%). Major complications were revision of wrist arthroplasty in 4.7% (n=4) and 3.5% salvage arthrodesis (n=3). Conclusion. Pain relief and patient satisfaction following wrist arthroplasty was consistently high in our series. The incidence of major complications was 8.1% in this study, compared to the literature review which shows rates of 12% for Universal-2® TWA and up to 50% in earlier Universal® implant. Universal-2® Wrist Arthroplasty is recommended for pain relief and preservation of function. Further studies are required particularly focusing on Carpal component loosening and long term outcomes

The April 2024 Wrist & Hand Roundup. 360. looks at: Lunocapitate versus four-corner fusion in scapholunate or scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse: a randomized controlled trial; Postoperative scaphoid alignment, smoking, and avascular necrosis determine outcomes; Grip strength signals broader health concerns in females with distal radius fractures; Clearing the smoke: how smoking status influences recovery from open carpal tunnel release surgery; Age matters: assessing the likelihood of corrective surgery after distal radius fractures; Is pronator quadratus muscle repair required after anterior plate fixation for distal radius fractures?; Efficacy of total wrist arthroplasty: a comparative analysis of inflammatory and non-inflammatory arthritis outcomes; A comprehensive review of the one-bone forearm as a salvage technique

Aims. The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of the Universal-2 total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients and Methods. This was a retrospective review of all 95 Universal-2 TWAs which were performed in our institution between 2003 to 2012 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. A total of six patients were lost to follow-up and two died of unrelated causes. A total of ten patients had bilateral procedures. Accordingly, 75 patients (85 TWAs) were included in the study. There were 59 women and 16 men with a mean age of 59 years (26 to 86). The mean follow-up was 53 months (24 to 120). Clinical assessment involved recording pain on a visual analogue score, range of movement, grip strength, the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and Wrightington wrist scores. Any adverse effects were documented with particular emphasis on residual pain, limitation of movement, infection, dislocation and the need for revision surgery. Radiographic assessment was performed pre-operatively and at three, six and 12 months post-operatively, and annually thereafter. Arthroplasties were assessed for distal row intercarpal fusion and loosening. Radiolucent zones around the components were documented according to a system developed at our institution. Results. The mean worst pain was 8.1 (3 to 10) pre-operatively and 5.4 (0 to 10) at latest follow-up (p <  0.001). Movements were preserved with mean dorsiflexion of 29. o . (0. o. to 70. o. ) and palmar flexion of 21. o. (0. o. to 50. o. ). The mean grip strength was 4.8 kg (1.7 to 11.5) pre-operatively and 10 kg (0 to 28) at final follow-up (p < 0.001). The mean QuickDASH and Wrightington wrist scores improved from 61 (16 to 91) to 46 (0 to 89) and 7.9 (1.8 to 10) to 5.7 (0 to 7.8) (p <  0.001). A total of six patients (7%) had major complications; three required revision arthroplasty and three an arthrodesis. The Kaplan-Meier probability of survival using removal of the components as the endpoint was 91% at 7.8 years (95% confidence interval 84 to 91). Conclusion. The Universal-2 TWA is recommended for use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1642–7

There is an incidence of failures of total wrist arthroplasties. We review our experiences in revising total wrist implant arthroplasties to arthrodeses. The most common mode of failure of the arthroplasties in our series was metacarpal loosening with dorsal perforation of the stem. We used for the revision arthrodesis in all our cases tricortical iliac crest bone grafts and additional spongiosa transplants from this donor site region. In one case we used a vascularized iliac crest bone graft to bridge the bone defect because of a bad host quality of the recipient area. Fixation was achieved with plates and screws. Our average follow-up period was 28 month. 14 patients with 15 failed wrist implants were treated with this technique. 14 patients undergoing arthrodesis attained a solid painless fusion after a single operation. In one case a non-union with a loosening of the screws due to using a non-rigid plate was seen. In this case a revision was necessary to achieve a bone healing. All patients were pain free and achieved an increased grip strength after bony fusion. Arthrodesis after failed total wrist arthroplasty is a satisfactory salvage procedure even in cases with a bad quality of the recipient area. We recommend a rigid fixation technique to prevent non-unions

Longstanding un-united scaphoid fractures or scapholunate insufficiency can progress to degenerative wrist osteoarthritis (termed scaphoid non-union advanced collapse (SNAC) or scapho-lunate advanced collapse (SLAC) respectively). Scaphoid excision and partial wrist fusion is a well-established procedure for the surgical treatment of this condition. In this study we present a novel technique and mid-term results, where fusion is reserved for the luno-capitate and triquetro-hamate joints, commonly referred to as bicolumnar fusion. The purpose of this study was to report functional and radiological outcomes in a series of patients who underwent this surgical technique. This was a prospective study of 23 consecutive patients (25 wrists) who underwent a bicolumnar carpal fusion from January 2014 to January 2017 due to a stage 2 or 3 SNAC/SLAC wrist, with a minimum follow-up of one year. In all cases two retrograde cannulated headless compression screws were used for inter-carpal fixation. The clinical assessment consisted of range of motion, grip and pinch strength that were compared with the unaffected contralateral side where possible. Patient-reported outcome measures, including the DASH and PRWE scores were analysed. The radiographic assessment parameters consisted of fusion state and the appearance of the radio-lunate joint space. We also examined the relationship between the capito-lunate fusion angle and wrist range of motion, comparing wrists fused with a capito-lunate angle greater than 20° of extension with wrists fused in a neutral position. The average follow-up was 2.9 years. The mean wrist extension was 41°, flexion 36° and radial-ulnar deviation arc was 43° (70%, 52% and 63% of contralateral side respectively). Grip strength was 40 kg and pinch strength was 8.9 kg, both 93% of contralateral side. Residual pain for activities of daily living was 1.4 (VAS). The mean DASH and PRWE scores were 19±16 and 29±18 respectively. There were three cases of non-union (fusion rate of 88%). Two wrists were converted to total wrist arthroplasty and one partial fusion was revised and healed successfully. Patients with an extended capito-lunate fusion angle trended toward more wrist extension but this did not reach statistical significance (P= 0.07). Wrist flexion did not differ between groups. Radio-lunate joint space narrowing progressed in 2 patients but did not affect their functional outcome. After bicolumnar carpal fusion using retrograde headless screws, patients in this series maintained a functional flexion-extension arc of motion, with grip-pinch strength that was close to normal. These functional outcomes and fusion rates were comparable with standard 4-corner fusion technique. A capito-lunate fusion angle greater than 20° may provide more wrist extension but further investigation is required to establish this effect. This technique has the advantage that compression screws are placed in a retrograde fashion, which does not violate the proximal articular surface of the lunate, preserving the residual load-bearing articulation. Moreover, the hardware is completely contained, with no revision surgery for hardware removal required in this series

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess the quality and scope of the current cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) literature in the field of hand and upper limb orthopaedic surgery.

Arthritis of the wrist is a painful disabling condition that has various causes and presentations. The traditional treatment has been a total wrist fusion at a price of the elimination of movement. However, forms of treatment which allow the preservation of movement are now preferred. Modern arthroplasties of the wrist are still not sufficiently robust to meet the demands of many patients, nor do they restore normal kinematics of the wrist. A preferable compromise may be selective excision and partial fusion of the wrist using knowledge of the aetiology and pattern of degenerative change to identify which joints can be sacrificed and which can be preserved.

This article provides an overview of the treatment options available for patients with arthritis of the wrist and an algorithm for selecting an appropriate surgical strategy.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2015;97-B:1303–8.

The Motec cementless modular metal-on-metal ball-and-socket wrist arthroplasty was implanted in 16 wrists with scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC; grades 3 or 4) and 14 wrists with scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) in 30 patients (20 men) with severe (grades 3 or 4) post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the wrist. The mean age of the patients was 52 years (31 to 71). All prostheses integrated well radiologically. At a mean follow-up of 3.2 years (1.1 to 6.1) no luxation or implant breakage occurred. Two wrists were converted to an arthrodesis for persistent pain. Loosening occurred in one further wrist at five years post-operatively. The remainder demonstrated close bone–implant contact. The clinical results were good, with markedly decreased Disabilities of the Arm Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and pain scores, and increased movement and grip strength. No patient used analgesics and most had returned to work.

Good short-term function was achieved using this wrist arthroplasty in a high-demand group of patients with post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

The December 2015 Wrist & Hand Roundup360 looks at: Fuse or replace? The index PIPJ; A solution for the unstable DRUJ at last; Anatomical reconstruction in place of arthroplasty?; The Welsh ‘fight bite’; Does surgeon empathy improve results?; Regional or local for wrist analgesia; The evidence for wrist arthroplasty; FPL rupture a hidden problem?; Deciding on surgery in the distal radius; Composing that paper in hand surgery