Purpose Trapezio-metacarpal (TM) joint arthritis is a common
cause of pain and functional disability of the hand. The
ideal surgical procedure for TMjoint osteoarthritis is still controversial.
The aim of the current study is to assess the outcome
of complete trapezial excision and abductor pollicis
longus tendon interposition arthroplasty in the treatment of
TM osteoarthritis.
Methods Twenty patients (16 women and 4 men) were prospectively
enrolled in the current study with average age of
51.5 years (36-64). All patients had complete trapezial excision
and abductor pollicis longus tendon interposition
arthroplasty with minimum follow-up of 24 months.
Results At final follow-up there was significant improvement
as regard pain, range of motion, and functional assessment
scores. Pre-operative visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain
improved from 6.2 (±1.54) to 1.1 (±0.97), and the average
Quick DASH Score improved from 47.6 (±8.81) points preoperatively
to 13.6 (±5.46) points post-operatively. The mean
pre-operative Buck-Gramcko score system improved from 21
(±6.2) points to 41.5 (±7). The average post-operative satisfaction
score was 9.1(±2.1), with all the patients somewhat
satisfied and recommending operation to other patients.
Conclusions The total trapeziectomy tendinoplasty with suspension
and interposition using the abductor pollicis longus is
a reliable procedure for the treatment of TMJ osteoarthritis,
providing satisfactory functional results.