Post-traumatic Arthritis of the Hand

Hand arthritis has a prevalence of 20–30% (Lawrence et al., Arthritis Rheum. 41:778–799, 1998)., It is the second most common site of pain in the body from osteoarthritis and can be debilitating to a person not only secondary to pain but also because of stiffness, limitations of daily activities, and aesthetic deformity (Lawrence et al., Arthritis Rheum. 41:778–799, 1998; Oliveria et al. Arthritis Rheum. 38(8):1134–1141, 1995). Unlike in the large joints such as the knee or hip, where prosthetic joint replacement has been successful for many years, the small joints of the hand have not enjoyed such long-term success to a similar degree with replacement surgery. This chapter will discuss posttraumatic osteoarthritis of the interphalangeal joints of the fingers and thumb as well as of the metacarpophalangeal and carpometacarpal joints.