Arthroscopic interposition arthroplasty of the trapeziometacarpal joint

Purpose

In carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis of the thumb, the use of interposition techniques (polylactic acid, pyrocarbon, dacron) has been increasing recently. These techniques are most often combined with open or arthroscopic complete or partial trapeziectomy. This article reports the results at one year of the arthroscopic interposition of an absorbable implant performed without trapeziectomy.

Methods

Our series included 25 patients aged 60.5 years on average, presenting with osteoarthritis of the trapeziometacarpal joint that had been medically treated for 18.5 months on average. All patients were operated using 1-ulnar (U) and 1-radial (R) portals. After joint debridement, a polylactic acid implant was inserted under arthroscopic control. Outcome evaluation consisted of the assessment of pain intensity, grip strength, pinch strength, opposition, thumb abduction and Dell radiological staging.

Results

The average follow-up was 14 months. Postoperative radiological data showed significant differences from baseline clinical data regarding all evaluated variables: 0.68 vs. 3.5 for pain, 24.76 Kg vs. 16.64 Kg for grip strength, 6.44 Kg vs. 3.64 Kg for pinch strength, 8.6 vs. 7.28 for opposition, 81.2° vs. 69.6° for thumb abduction, and 1.08 vs. 2.88 on the Dell stage. Eleven complications occurred, including a type 1 complex regional pain syndrome, one sepsis, and nine inflammatory reactions that resolved after an average of 3 weeks.

Conclusions

Our technique is simple, rapid, cost-effective, and does not necessitate trapeziectomy, even partial. It has the same indications as other non-radical interventions. The follow-up duration of our study was too short for long-term evaluation but short-term outcome appeared superior to that in other published series. The regional inflammatory reactions that occurred in our series were transient and probably related to implant resorption. Our promising results suggest extending the indication of arthroscopic interposition to more advanced stages of proximal joint osteoarthritis.     

Pyrocarbon interposition arthroplasty for proximal capitate avascular necrosis

IntroductionAvascular necrosis of the capitate head is a rare condition commonly treated with partial wrist fusion. Although good functional results are usually reported, a degree of stiffness is to be expected. We report a pyrocarbon interposition arthroplasty technique in a young sportsman with 3.5 years of follow-up.MethodsA 15-year-old rugby player presented with a 6-month history of wrist pain and stiffness with no preceding injury. The necrotic bone was replaced with interposition of a pyrocarbon interposition implant (PI²) (Tournier, Grenoble, France), originally designed to replace the trapezium. A concave socket was created in the distal fragment to accommodate the implant and prevent dislocation. Regular follow-up included subjective and objective measures.ResultsHe was pain free by 6 weeks and regained good functional range of motion and grip strength by 3 months. He returned to playing rugby at the 1-year follow-up. At 2 years, he remained asymptomatic. After 3.5 years, he had no limitations in his heavy manual work as a plant mechanic and retained a good functional range of motion including the dart-thrower’s motion.ConclusionsMedium-term results appear to offer the benefits of being able to return to heavy manual labour as well as retaining a functional range of motion. It is difficult to predict long-term survival, but the outcome so far is encouraging, and conversion to midcarpal fusion remains a salvage option.     

Minimal resection interposition arthroplasty of the first metatarsophalangeal joint

BackgroundInterposition arthroplasty of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint is a viable alternative to fusion in patients with advanced hallux rigidus. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the midterm results of a modification of the technique.MethodsCase series of 18 interposition arthroplasties were performed on 13 female patients with Grade III–IV hallux rigidus. The technique included cheilectomy, bunionectomy when needed, minimal resection of the base of the proximal phalanx and interposition of a fascia lata allograft in the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Mean follow up was nine years (range 75–136 months). Patients were evaluated according to the AOFAS score, the ability to tip toe and their subjective satisfaction.ResultsThere was a significant difference between preoperative (mean 43.2, range 15–83) and postoperative (mean 77.3, range 40–100) AOFAS scores (p < 0.001). The patients were able to tip toe on 12 of the 18 operated feet and 9 of the 13 patients were satisfied from the operation. All dissatisfied patients had a coexistent hallux valgus deformity.ConclusionsThe technique had satisfactory midterm outcomes in older patients with advanced hallux rigidus without hallux valgus. Advantages of the method are the preservation of tip toe function in most patients and a technically easy conversion to fusion when needed.     

Survivorship and clinical outcomes of total elbow arthroplasty using the Zimmer Nexel Elbow system

BackgroundTotal elbow arthroplasty (TEA) is a treatment option for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, or distal humerus fracture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes of the semiconstrained Nexel Total Elbow (Nexel) at a single center.MethodsThis is a retrospective case series of consecutive Nexel TEA procedures at a single center between 2014 and 2019. Of the 21 TEAs, 18 were alive and asked to return to the clinic to complete a physical exam, radiographs, the Mayo Elbow Performance Score, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, and EuroQol 5D. Patients who could not return in person were offered a remote participation option. Outcomes included the following: implant survival, surgical complications, reoperation for any reason, radiographic assessment to identify loosening and bushing wear, and mean scores on patient-reported outcomes.ResultsThere were 11 TEA procedures who responded (61%), with eight returning to the clinic and three remote participants. The mean follow-up was 53.3 months (28-89 months). None of the TEAs were revised or reoperated on for any reason; the survival rate was 100%. One TEA (13%) had radiographic evidence of loosening, limited to the humeral component. There was no evidence of bushing wear. One TEA experienced ulnar nerve neuropraxia postoperatively, without permanent dysfunction (13%). The majority of patients reported satisfactory outcomes as measured by the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (73%), with a mean score of 90 (standard deviation [sd] = 13). On average, patients reported minimal disability on the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (mean = 29, sd = 23) and relatively high health-related quality of life (EuroQol 5D, mean = 0.83, sd = 0.08).ConclusionsClinical and radiographic results of the Nexel TEA, a semiconstrained implant, were favorable. In contrast to the high complication rate and concerning radiographic findings reported previously, the current study reports 100% implant survival, with revision or indication for revision as the endpoint, and low rates of complications with an average of 53 months of follow-up. Bushing wear was not identified as a problem in this series; however, loosening of the humeral component may emerge as an indication for revision. More studies on the Nexel TEA are needed to better understand clinical and radiographic outcomes.     

A long term follow up of resection interposition arthroplasty of the knee using chromicised fascia lata

Summary We have reviewed the results of 25 patients who had a resection interposition arthroplasty of the knee using chromicized fascia lata, with a mean follow-up of 22 years. No patient had severe pain although 10 had occasional pain after heavy labour. Thirteen knees had 60° of movement or more but 12 had 45° or less. The radiographs all showed adaptive remodelling of the resected bone ends. This procedure successfully restored function in the majority of cases with absence of pain over a long period.Read at the SICOT 84 Congress, London, England October 5, 1984     

Elbow revision arthroplasty in the situation of bone loss using an unlinked long-stem prosthesis

The results of 16 first-revision operations using an unlinked cemented long-stem elbow arthroplasty in the situation of major bone loss are presented. Fifteen patients with a mean age of 62 years and longstanding polyarthritis were monitored for a mean period of 31 months (range, 6-62 months). Seven revision arthroplasties showed a good result and 7 a fair result with improvement of function and pain. Two patients with postoperative instability requiring further surgery had a poor result, with one infected prosthesis and one elbow with persistent instability and ulnar nerve hypersensitivity. Using a visual analog scale, patients documented good pain relief, good subjective independence, and a high level of satisfaction. In the follow-up SF-36 health survey, patients scored low physical function but good mental function. These results show that in the absence of infection and instability, revision elbow arthroplasty, even in the situation of major bone loss, can be a successful treatment option using this unlinked cemented long-stem system.     

Radiocapitellar arthroplasty

This article sets out the evidence demonstrating that the clinical need for a prosthetic arthroplasty designed specifically for the radiocapitellar joint has been underestimated. The prevalence of radiocapitellar degenerative change requiring treatment is discussed and the relationship between ‘isolated’ radiocapitellar joint arthritis and more generalised elbow arthritis is explained. Current literature now supports our view that radiocapitellar joint arthroplasty is not only an effective long-term solution for patients with localised radiocapitellar arthritis but also for those patients with more severe degenerative changes involving the elbow joint irrespective of their cause. We consider that is important to avoid resection of the radial head and therefore that resurfacing implants rather than joint replacement implants are more likely to provide a good longterm outcome for patients with elbow arthritis.     

Guidelines to Becoming an Expert Elbow Arthroscopist

This report presents my guidelines for surgeon training and development of skills in the art of elbow arthroscopy. As elbow arthroscopy becomes more common, it is important to achieve greater levels of experience that will minimize the risk of complications because indications and techniques are growing in number and complexity. Indications for elbow arthroscopy that require diagnosis before open surgery include evaluation of instability; removal of loose bodies, spurs, and plica; irrigation and debridement of infection or open joints; evaluation for arthrofibrosis (with open nerve protection), lateral epicondylitis, arthritis, osteochondritis dissecans, fracture, bursectomy, synovectomy, stabilization, tendon repair, and nerve release or decompression.     

Interpositional elbow arthroplasty using fascia lata autograft in stiff elbow: Case series of 8 patients

IntroductionConstrain of a total elbow replacement and elbow arthrodesis are too much for the working population to bear. As such interpositional elbow arthroplasty using fascia lata autologous graft to reconstruct the elbow joint is a viable option in this age group.Materials and method8 patients were operated for arthritic stiff elbow, and joint reconstruction was done using fascia lata autologous graft, with out the use of any hinged external fixator. Pre-operative and post-operative functional assessment was done using Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) and statistically measured using a paired t-test.ResultThere was significant improvement in range of motion in coronal (flexion-extension) and axial (supination-protonation) with p-value of <0.001. The mean pre-operative MEPI increased from 40.6 points to 91.9 points (p < 0.0001). All parameters of MEPI had statistically significant improvement with exception of stability (p-value = 0.0824).     

Gelfoam first metatarsophalangeal replacement/interposition arthroplasty—A case series with functional outcomes

Reported below are the functional results of a case-series of Gelfoam^®-based first metatarsophalangeal total joint replacements using an interposition arthroplasty technique carried out between April 1997 and December 2007. All patients who underwent Gelfoam-based arthroplasty under the care of a single surgeon were included; outcome scores and complications were recorded. A total of 31 joints in 31 consecutive patients were followed for a mean duration of 64 (range 24–150) months, and the mean patient age at the time of operation was 48 ± 9 (range 35–80) years. Hallux rigidus was the primary diagnosis in all of the cases except one in which a failed chevron ostetomy was the indication for treatment. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Hallux-Metatarsophalangeal-Interphalangeal score increased from an average of 35 pre-operatively to an average of 74 at final follow-up (range 67–100), with 20 (64.5%) joints rated good to excellent. One (3.5%) joint was fused 6 months after the arthroplasty procedure. Based on these results, we concluded that first MTPJ total joint Gelfoam™-based interpostion arthroplasty is a cheap alternative to other joint replacement systems for the MTP joint. The results appear similar to those achieved using more expensive devices.     

(ii) Total elbow arthroplasty

Elbow arthroplasty has an important role in the treatment of many conditions affecting the elbow, including inflammatory arthritis, osteoarthritis, fracture and instability. The types of implant differ in the degree of constraint they provide. Some are linked and highly constrained implants, whereas others have a “sloppy hinge” which allows some varus/valgus play. Yet others are completely unlinked and provide the least constraint, relying on ligament and muscle balance for stability. A variety of implants have achieved good results in terms of pain relief and range of movement, which usually leads to significant functional benefit to the patient.However, this surgery is not without risk and the main complications include loosening, infection, instability, dislocation and nerve dysfunction. As with other forms of arthroplasty, but particularly the elbow, it is important to scrutinise the indication for surgery when considering the results of elbow arthroplasty; the majority of procedures are performed for inflammatory arthritis. The precise difference in outcome between unlinked, linked and sloppy articulations appears to be small and the exact role for each implant type is yet to be precisely defined.     

Interposition arthroplasty with bovine collagenous membrane for hallux rigidus: A long-term results retrospective study

BackgroundHallux rigidus (HR) is a degenerative arthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP1) with progressive loss of range of movement (ROM). Interposition arthroplasty (IA) is a technique widely used for the treatment of HR;however, few studies reported long-term clinical results. This study aims to report the clinical results of IA using a bovine pericardium collagen matrix for HR with a minimum 10-years follow-up.MethodsThirty patients (31 feet) who underwent IA using a bovine pericardium collagen matrix from 2001 to 2009 were retrospectively evaluated with a mean follow up of 154.1 ± 28.6 (range 124–218) months. All HR ranged from grade II to grade III, according to Regnauld classification. All patients were clinically assessed with the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Hallux Metatarsophalangeal- Interphalangeal Scale, a pain Visual Analog Scale, and the Foot and Ankle Disability Index. Scores before and after treatment, respectively achieved from clinical records and clinical evaluation at final follow-up were compared.ResultsAt final follow-up, an improvement of all the considered scores (p < 0.01) was recorded. The overall rate of unsatisfying results was 16.1 %. Two (6.4 %) patients complained discomfort due to first ray shortening and 3 (9.7 %) cases of persistent metatarsal pain. There was one (3.2 %) case of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CPRS). No revision surgeries, infection, or other adverse events were reported.Conclusion: Interposition arthroplasty using bovine collagenous membrane is a reliable solution for high-grade HR with durable results over 10 years in more than 80 % of patients.