Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2025
Standardized Histomorphometric Evaluation of Osteoarthritis in a Surgical Mouse Model
Published on: May 6, 2020
Is increased trapezial slope a cause of early trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis?
Lara Maniglio1, Mauro Maniglio2, Fabian Aregger3
1Department of Orthopedics, Hand Surgery Division, Balgrist University Hospital Zurich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland; Department of General Surgery, Hospital Grabs, Spitalstrasse 44, 9472 Grabs, Switzerland.
Objectives:
Thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of osteoarthritis in the hand. The underlying causes are multifactorial. We investigated whether increased trapezial slope could be a causal factor.
Material And Methods:
We measured trapezial slope and 1st metacarpal slope in 37 patients with early thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis and compared results with 41 patients without osteoarthritis, using computer-supported 3D-analysis based on CT scans.
Results:
There was a significant intergroup difference in trapezial slope (111° in patients with osteoarthritis, and 107° in patients without) and in 1st metacarpal slope (17° versus 14°).
Conclusion:
Steeper trapezial slope seemed to be a risk factor for thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. Therefore, correction of trapezial slope by trapezium osteotomy could be a valuable surgical approach in early thumb carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis.
