Wrist arthrodesis in rheumatoid arthritis. A comparison of two methods of fusion.

17 wrists were arthrodesed in 13 patients with severe wrist disease due to rheumatoid arthritis. Eight fusions in seven patients were carried out using a radial sliding bone graft technique whilst nine fusions in nine patients were undertaken using a third tubular AO plate. Subjective, objective and radiological assessments confirmed the efficacy of both methods but indicated a shorter period of post-operative immobilization for patients treated using the AO plate fixation technique. The importance of this is discussed.