Early outcomes of arthroplasty of the first carpometacarpal joint using pyrocarbon spherical implants

The first carpometacarpal joint (CMC) is the most common hand joint to develop osteoarthritis. A survey found that many hand surgeons have revisited implant arthroplasty because it preserves critical structures. However, there is currently no implant with an ideal design and material composition. The present study was the first to use and evaluate early outcomes of pyrocarbon spherical implants for arthroplasty of the first CMC in patients with Eaton-Littler stage II and III osteoarthritis. A single surgeon performed 24 arthroplasties (23 patients [20 women, three men] with a mean age of 56 years [range 46 to 75 years]) of the first CMC (nine right hands and 15 left hands) using pyrocarbon spherical implants from May 2010 to April 2013. All patients failed conservative management. At a mean (± SD) of 18.5±11.16 months postoperatively (range 4.3 to 38.9 months), the mean Kapandji score was 8.8 of 10 (range 7 to 10), the average pre- and postoperative values on the visual pain scale were 8.96±0.64 of 10 (range 8 to 10) and 1.13±1.22 of 10 (range 0 to 4), respectively. All patients were either very satisfied (score = 5) or satisfied (score = 4) with the procedure, with a mean satisfaction score of 4.76±0.44 of 5.00 (range 4 to 5). The mean postoperative Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score was 11.79±14.29 (range 0 to 49.17). The most recent radiographic evaluations confirmed that all implants were stable with no erosion of nearby cancellous bone. There were no implant subluxations, dislocations or revisions. Early outcomes show promising results and support continued use of this implant for arthroplasty. However, longer-term follow-up will be needed to confirm these results.