[Intermediate term results of treatment with the Francobal endoprosthesis in osteoarthritis]

Results one to eight years with a mean of five years after implantation of sixty Francobal-endoprostheses for total trapeziometacarpal joint replacement in fifty patients with osteoarthritis are presented. 91% of the patients achieved clinically good or very good results using a new standardized evaluation score. A worrying problem is the radiologic finding of asymptomatic lucencies in 43%, mainly around the stem component. Loosening, predominantly of the cup, has occurred in 18% and has been followed by two revision operations so far. Heavy manual work increases the risk of loosening, and such patients have to be excluded from this method.