Artroprotesi della radio-carpica in esiti traumatici

Abstract

Wrist osteoarthritis in the early stages is usually treated by motion-preserving “salvage” procedure as partial wrist fusion or proximal row carpectomy in order to reduce pain, maintain motion and a certain amount of grip strength. In cases of severely destroyed post-traumatic wrist, wrist fusion is the procedure of choice especially in manual workers, as it leads to disappearance of pain, preservation of complete grip strength despite loss of motion and this result is definitive in time. These procedures have produced good results in the literature in the past years. Total wrist arthroplasty has been used in the last decades for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with good mid-term results and, more recently, some studies have shown good mid-term results in post-traumatic wrists as well. Restoration of a useful range of motion and relief of pain is the aim of this procedure, while recovery of grip is generally not complete. A few studies published in the literature demonstrate good mid-term results; however, long-term follow-up studies on total wrist arthroplasty are needed in selected well-consented patients.