What is the clinical and functional effect of performing suspension arthroplasty with abductor pollicis longus tendon slip to carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis of the thumb?

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the clinical, radiological, and functional results of trapeziectomy, ligament reconstruction and suspensionplasty surgery with abductor pollicis longus (APL) tendon slip autograft to thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis. Patients and methods: Between January 2011 and June 2017, a total of 25 hands of 25 patients (4 males, 21 females; mean age: 63.6±5.8 years; range, 54 to 76 years) were included. All patients underwent trapeziectomy and ligament reconstruction and suspensionplasty procedure due to the diagnosis of thumb CMC joint osteoarthritis. The patients were administered the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation Questionnaire (PRWE), Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Q-DASH), and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Scaphometacarpal distance (SMD), Kapandji opposition score, thumb range of motion (ROM), grip strength, tip pinch, lateral pinch, and palmer pinch values were measured for both hands. The values calculated for the operated and contralateral hands of the patients were compared. Results: The ROM measurements, Kapandji opposition scores, and pinch values of the operated hands of the patients were found to be statistically significant lower compared to the contralateral hands (p