Long-term outcome (22-36 years) of silicone lunate arthroplasty for Kienbock's disease

Silicone lunate arthroplasty for Kienböck's disease was abandoned several years ago due to severe silicone cyst formation. We identified 53 patients and retrospectively evaluated short-term radiological and clinical results, as well as long-term radiological outcome, pain relief, range of motion, strength, and functional results, a mean 27 years after surgery. The incidence of silicone cysts was 78%. Twelve implants were removed - three due to implant dislocation and nine due to silicone synovitis - and six wrist joints were fused. Pain on the visual analogue scale averaged 2.2 at rest and 5.4 during heavy exertion. Range of motion of those wrists not fused reached 65% of that of the contralateral wrist, and strength of all wrists reached 72%. Those few patients who developed no silicone cysts by 10 years post-operatively will not form cysts and will retain their satisfactory clinical, functional, and radiological result. These very long-term results confirm that silicone lunate arthroplasty should not be used for Kienböck's disease.