Long-term follow-up of metacarpal phalangeal arthroplasty with silicone Dacron prostheses.

Sixteen patients who had eighty-nine metacarpal phalangeal arthroplasties with silicone Dacron prostheses (Niebauer type), were followed for an average of 11 1/2 years. Evaluation for palmar subluxation, ulnar drift, range of motion (ROM), pain relief, and stability showed it was satisfactory for relief of pain and correction of ulnar drift but it was eventually poor for range of motion and stability. If the arthritis was not controlled, the function of the hand decreased progressively, in spite of prosthetic replacements of the joints.