Treatment of basal joint arthritis of the thumb: trapeziectomy with or without tendon interposition/ligament reconstruction.

This prospective study compared the outcome--subjective, objective and radiographic--of two surgical techniques for treating basal joint arthritis of the thumb: a "simple" trapeziectomy (group I) and a ligament reconstruction/tendon (group II) interposition technique. There were respectively 22 patients in group I and 34 in group II, all women with primary osteoarthritis. Both techniques gave favourable results and there were no significant differences for pain relief, patient satisfaction, mobility, DASH-score, key pinch force and gripping force. However in group II, the trapezial height was better preserved indicating that the proximal migration of the thumb was prevented or limited. There was also a significant correlation between the remaining trapezial space and key pinch force.