title: Long-term results of Swanson silastic arthroplasty in the rheumatoid wrist.
abstract: We report a long-term follow-up of 6 to 11.8 years (mean = 8 years) of our first 50 Swanson wrist arthroplasties. All patients had long standing sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis with a mean age of 48 years. A detailed clinical and radiologic assessment was carried out on all the wrists. There was excellent sustained pain relief (mean score = 1.7) with improved activities of daily living. A mean range of wrist movement of 25 degrees of extension and 31 degrees of flexion was obtained. The prosthetic fracture rate was 22% of which 14% were symptomatic and needed re-operation. Carpal collapse was seen in all wrists, but was often symmetrical and accompanied by radial new bone formation on X-ray (86%). We feel that our long-term results justify the continued selective use of the Swanson wrist in the low-demand patient with quiescent disease who desires pain-free limited mobility and sophisticated grasp.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand and Upper Limb Surgery, Wrightington Hospital, Appley Bridge, Wigan, UK.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Tolat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*