Wrist Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study

: A retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of wrist arthroplasties in patients with various arthritic conditions. A total of 39 wrist arthroplasties were performed in 29 patients (average age, 52.5 years) by the orthopedic staff at Tulane University School of Medicine. Rheumatoid arthritis was the major presenting diagnosis in 84.6% of these operative cases and pain was the most common indication for surgery (79.5%). Postoperative relief of pain was reported in all of the cases reviewed, with an average follow up period of 51.2 months (range, 12 to 118 months). A group of 15 patients who were examined clinically had an average grip strength of 19.2 lb (range, 6 lb to 45 lb). Pinch measurements averaged 1.9 lb and arc of motion averaged 59.5 degrees (range, 20 degrees to 100 degrees) for these patients. Postoperative complications included dislocation (3 cases), fracture of the prosthesis (2 cases), and infection (2 cases). No complications were observed in 32 (82.1%) of the 39 cases reviewed. This retrospective study revealed that at an average follow up period of 51.2 months, pain relief was excellent and patient acceptance was good, with 94.9% of the wrists having been improved by the procedure. The majority (82.1%) of the cases were free of complication. It is concluded from this study that wrist arthroplasty is a viable alternative to wrist arthrodesis.