Wrist arthrodesis in post-traumatic arthritis: a comparison of two methods.

The Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen arthrodesis technique is compared with the proximal row carpectomy technique with radiocapitohamate arthrodesis for patients with traumatic and degenerative arthritis of the wrist. Both techniques gave satisfactory functional and x-ray film results in 85% of the patients. Grip strength measured on the Jamar dynamometer at settings 1-5 was 77-83% of the opposite in the dominant extremities and 56-82% of the opposite in the nondominant extremities. Despite the decrease in grip strengths after wrist fusion, grip strength curve patterns were similar for operated and nonoperated extremities. There were no statistically significant differences in grip strength between the two groups. Patients who did not have index and long ray carpometacarpal joints fused had pain at that level requiring a second procedure to arthrodese the joints. Index and long finger carpometacarpal joint arthrodesis at the time of wrist arthrodesis is recommended in patients with heavy labor jobs.