[Surgical treatment of the saddle joint arthrosis].

In addition to the usual methods of arthroplasty of the carpometacarpal joint of the thumb an alternative technique of transosseus suspension for the first metacarpal is described. The basic idea is to reconstruct the intermetacarpal ligaments I-II with a distally pedicled slip of the flexor carpi radialis tendon to prevent proximal migration of the first ray after removal of the trapezium. This technique is considered simple, avoiding implantation of silastic or other material with their well known problems. Follow-up results of 97 patients out of a series of 151 operations between 1976 and 1982 are shown and discussed.