Short-term Complication Rate in Single- Versus Dual-Mobility Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Arthroplasty

Single-mobility carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthroplasty shows good long-term outcomes but has a dislocation risk of 5% to 8%. Newer dual-mobility designs aim to reduce this risk. This study compares the early outcomes and complications of single-mobility Arpe (Zimmer Biomet) versus dual-mobility Touch (Kerimedical) CMC joint prostheses.

We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent CMC joint arthroplasty at our hospital from August 2018 to December 2022 by a single surgeon. We were able to obtain follow-up information on all included patients. The Arpe prosthesis was used between August 2018 and December 2020 (168 prostheses in 150 patients), while the Touch prosthesis was used from January 2021 onward (184 prostheses in 168 patients).

Mean age was 64 years in both groups. Mean follow-up was 26 months for the Arpe group and 31 months for the Touch group. The Arpe group had a 6.5% complication rate, including 7 dislocations (4.2%), 2 trapezial fractures (1.2%), 1 cup loosening (0.6%), and 1 revision for heterotopic ossification (0.6%). In the Touch group, the complication rate was 2.7%, with 1 dislocation (0.5%), 1 impingement on heterotopic ossification (0.5%), 2 cases of cup loosening (1.1%), and 1 symptomatic scaphotrapeziotrapezoid osteoarthritis (0.5%). All complications occurred within the first postoperative year. Implant survival rates were 96% for the Arpe group at 26 months and 97% for the Touch group at 31 months. Dual-mobility prostheses demonstrated significantly fewer dislocations (P = .02).

These findings support the use of dual-mobility prostheses to reduce dislocation rate in CMC joint arthroplasty.

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