ArticleJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2021
Trapeziectomy for basal thumb osteoarthritis does not increase the risk of developing wrist osteoarthritis in the long term.
Article in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.
- Changes in Carpal Alignment after Surgery for Thumb Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis: Comparative Analysis of Trapeziectomy with Ligament Reconstruction and Tendon Interposition Arthroplasty and Arthrodesis.Journal of wrist surgery · 2026Article
- Isolated Osseous Excision in the Adult Carpus: A Narrative Review.Journal of hand and microsurgery · 2024Review
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSymptomatic osteoarthritis of the basal joint of the thumb (trapeziometacarpal joint) is a common disabling condition mainly affecting women. It is frequently treated with complete removal of the trapezium with or without soft-tissue interposition. There is limited evidence about whether removal of the trapezium affects stability of the wrist joint and increases the risk of developing wrist osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term prevalence of OA in wrists with previous trapeziectomy compared to wrists with intact trapezium.
methodsPatients treated with surgery for trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis at one orthopedic department were invited 10-29 (mean 17) years postoperatively for bilateral radiographic examination. We included radiographs from 114 hands with trapeziectomy and 46 hands with intact trapezium; 38 patients had unilateral trapeziectomy and intact contralateral trapezium. The radiographs were blinded so that the intact trapezium or the trapezial space after trapeziectomy was not visible. The radiographs were then evaluated for radiocarpal/midcarpal osteoarthritis independently by two assessors using three different osteoarthritis grading systems, including the Kellgren-Lawrence classification. The patients rated their satisfaction with the function of each of their hands on a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 100 (higher score better).
resultsThe prevalence of osteoarthritis ranged from 20 to 26%, mostly mild (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 1). The prevalence of osteoarthritis did not differ between wrists with previous trapeziectomy and those with intact trapezium, both in the whole cohort and in the subgroup of patients with unilateral trapeziectomy and intact contralateral trapezium. There was no significant difference in hand function VAS scores between hands with previous trapeziectomy and hands with intact trapezium in the whole cohort or in the subgroup.
conclusionsRemoval of the trapezium as treatment for basal thumb osteoarthritis does not increase the risk of developing wrist osteoarthritis in the long term.
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