[The operative treatment of rhizarthrosis with pyrocarbon spacer as replacement of the trapezium].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this work was to point out the meaning of pyrocarbon spacer as replacement of the trapezium in case of rhizarthrosis.


METHODS
32 Patients (20 female, 12 male) provided in our department between January 2005 and June 2008 with pyrocarbon spacer as replacement of the trapezium as a result of a radiologic as well as clinical documented rhizarthrosis. To rate the therapy a clinical and radiological examination was done and the score of Buck-Gramcko was used. Because of a complication in two patients the spacer was taken out and a suspension arthroplasty was done. Those two patients were not considered in the study.


RESULTS
80% good and very good results according to the score of Buck-Gramcko, 13.3% of satisfactory and 6.7% bad results were obtained. Dislocation of the implant is the main complication of the presented procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
With the presented procedure it is possible to achieve in the majority of the treated patients good and very good results. 4 dislocations in the examined collective and the price of the implant of 930 Euro has to be discussed critically.
Universität Giessen, Klinik und Poliklinik für Unfallchirurgie, Rudolf-Buchheim-Strasse 7, Giessen. Gabor.Szalay@chiru.med.uni-giessen.de
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Szalay
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Meyer
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Kraus
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Heiss
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Schnettler
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002244:Carbon; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D052581:Pinch Strength / Q000502:physiology; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013933:Thumb / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D051222:Trapezium Bone / Q000601:surgery*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; C009139:pyrolytic carbon; D002244:Carbon