Introduction: Trapeziectomy is a well established surgical procedure for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the carpo-metacarpal joint (CMCJ) o the thumb. The complications have been recognised in the past, but there has been limited literature describing the management and prognosis of long term complications following Trapeziectomy.

Aim: The purpose of our study was to describe our experience in management and prognosis of patients with long term complications associated with Trapeziectomy with particular references to residual pain and sensory branch of radial nerve (SBRN) paraesthesia.

Methods: 118 trapeziectomy procedures were performed in 103 patients for primary osteoarthritis of the CMCJ of thumb during the period of January 2000 – December 2005 at a single centre performed or supervised by a single surgeon (senior author). The data was obtained from the case notes retrospectively. The average follow up period was 12 months. The short term and long term complications and their management were recorded and analysed in detail.

Results: Long term complication rate was 23.7% (28 cases) which included 15 patients (12.7 %) complaining of residual pain at the base of the thumb, 6 patients (5.1%) had symptoms related to superficial branch of radial nerve and 2 patients (1.7%) had FCR rupture. Steroid injection was more successful than physiotherapy or splinting in majority of the patients with residual pain. Superficial branch of radial nerve symptoms resolved with time. However persistent symptoms were treated suceesfully by desensitization therapy.

Conclusion: Trapeziectomy is a fairly benign operation, but the complications are more than expected and the patients must be warned to expect long term complications. Most of the postoperative problems can be effectively managed non-operatively and the prognosis remains good in majority of the cases. Patients must be reassured to expect full recovery with time.