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Updated: Jan 2, 2026
Metacarpal Small Incision for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Published on: April 5, 2024
Outcome of Silicone Implant for Treatment After Failure of Primary Trapeziometacarpal Surgery
Bernard Lallemand1, Damien Cheval2, Christophe Camps3
1European Hand Institute, Kirchberg Hospital, Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Department of Orthopedics, Aspetar, Doha, Qatar.
Purpose:
To evaluate the outcome of a silicone implant used after failure of primary trapeziometacarpal (TMC) surgery.
Methods:
We retrospectively reviewed 22 Tie-in silicone implants performed between January 2005 and December 2015. All silicone implants were used for revision after failure of TMC surgery. We determined the time between implantation and the date of diagnosis of the failed revision procedure (rupture, major wear, dislocation, or poor clinical tolerance).
Results:
Median survival was 2.15 years. Only 3 patients did not show wear, but one was lost after 1 year of follow-up. We found 10 cases with rupture of the implant, 5 with implant instability (subluxation or dislocation), 3 implants with abnormal wear, and 1 patient who reported residual pain. A total of 42% of failures were associated with silicone synovitis CONCLUSIONS: Survival of the Tie-in silicone implant in TMC revision surgery is poor; nearly half of implants failed at 2 years. The rate of silicone synovitis is also important because future revision might be more complex owing to bone loss.
Type Of Study/Level Of Evidence:
Therapeutic IV.
