The Operative Treatment of Rhizarthrosis with Pyrocarbon Spacer as Replacement of the Trapezium

Purpose: The aim of this work was to point out the meaning of pyrocarbon spacer as replacement of the trapezium in case of rhizarthrosis. Patients/Material and Method: 32 Patients (20 female, 12 male) provided in our departement between January 2005 and June 2008 with pyrocarbon spacer as replacement of the trapezium as a result of a radiologic as well as clinical documented rhizarthrosis. To rate the therapy a clinical and radiological examination was done and the score of Buck-Gramcko was used. Because of a complication in two patients the spacer was taken out and a suspension arthroplasty was done. Those two patients were not considered in the Study. Results: 80% good and very good results according to the score of Buck-Gramcko, 13.3% of satisfactory and 6.7% bad results were obtained. Dislocation of the implant is the main complication of the presented procedure. Conclusion: With the presented procedure it is possible to achieve in the majority of the treated patients good and very good results. 4 dislocations in the examined collective and the price of the implant of 930 Euro has to be discussed critically.