Continuous passive motion following metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty

To determine whether a postoperative rehabilitation protocol incorporating continuous passive motion would increase the total range of motion obtained 6 months following silicone interposition arthroplasty of the metacarpophalangeal joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a prospective trial randomizing patients to receive either continuous passive motion or the standard dynamic splint protocol (modified Madden protocol) was undertaken. Fifteen hands (60 joints) were treated with the modified Madden protocol and 10 hands (40 joints) had continuous passive motion. The mean 6-month postoperative range of motion was 7 degrees in the modified Madden cohort compared with 39 degrees in the continuous passive motion cohort, representing an improvement of 22 degrees in the modified Madden cohort compared with an improvement of only 5 degrees in the continuous passive motion cohort. Residual ulnar deviation 8 degrees vs 12 degrees and grip strength (2.3 kgf v 3.7 kgf) were both lower in the continuous passive motion cohort. Incorporation of the continuous passive motion machine in the postoperative rehabilitation protocol does not offer sufficient advantages to justify the added costs.