[The painful wrist joint: alloplastic joint replacement].

The analysis of the etiology of the painful wrist demonstrates quite clearly an increasing number of "carpal collapse" as a sequence of trauma (perilunar dislocation), of congenital disorders and rheumatoid arthritis. The deterioration of the wrist joint may start locally but may end up with generalised deforming osteo-arthritis. In addition to traditional salvage operations (partial/total fusion, carpectomy) the total wrist prosthesis by Meuli (ball and socket joint) has its definite place in the treatment of the painful destruction and instability of the wrist.