Excision of the trapezium for osteoarthritis at the base of the thumb.

We have assessed the results of 34 simple excisions of the trapezium, with no additional soft-tissue procedures, in 30 patients. At a median follow-up of five years (2 to 22), 16 thumbs (47%) were completely painfree and a further 10 (29%) were slightly painful after use. Nineteen thumbs (56%) had no functional disability, but thumb-pinch strength was reduced by about 20%. No patient had painful degeneration at the scaphotrapezial pseudarthrosis.