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A retrospective multicenter study of the Artelon® carpometacarpal joint implant

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HAND

Abstract

Background

This study aims to evaluate patient outcomes associated with use of the Artelon® Spacer for the treatment of arthritis of the carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) of the thumb.

Methods

Patients with Eaton stage I, II, or III carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthritis and disabling pain that had failed conservative treatment were evaluated at 12, 36, and 48 months postsurgery for changes in pinch, patient satisfaction, pain, range of motion, grip strength, grind test, operative time, and X-ray evidence of subsidence.

Results

Complete data was available for 46 subjects and 49 thumbs. A statistically significant improvement in pain when subjected to a first CMC joint grind test, CMCJ stability and patient perception of hand and wrist function following implant insertion was seen. Patient-oriented outcomes showed statistically significant improvement in the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand; pain; pinch and grip strength; and range of motion. X-ray analysis revealed that none of the distributions of measures of osteophytes, subluxation, and joint space narrowing showed statistically significant change. Bone erosion/remodeling changes of the first metacarpal were statistically significant.

Conclusions

At a follow-up period of 4 years, patients had measured improvement as well as positive self-reported functional improvements following Artelon® implant insertion for the treatment of arthritis of the thumb CMCJ.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge William D. Grant, EdD and Susan M. Wojcik, PhD of the Department of Emergency Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA for providing statistical analysis of the data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, El Paso Specialty Hospital, 1755 Curie, Suite B, El Paso, TX, 79902, USA

    Robert Bell

  2. Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, West End Orthopedic Clinic, 7650 E. Parham Rd., Suite 100, Richmond, VA, 23294, USA

    Sanjay Desai

  3. Baltimore Washington Medical Center, Chesapeake Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center, 200 Hospital Dr., 2nd floor, Glen Burnie, MD, 21061, USA

    Hugh House & Terrence O’Donovan

  4. Institute for Human Performance, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 750 E. Adams St, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

    Andrew K. Palmer

Authors
  1. Robert Bell
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  2. Sanjay Desai
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  3. Hugh House
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  4. Terrence O’Donovan
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  5. Andrew K. Palmer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrew K. Palmer.

Additional information

This work supported in part by a grant from Small Bone Innovations, Inc. 1380 South Pennsylvania Ave, Morrisville, PA, 19067, USA.

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Bell, R., Desai, S., House, H. et al. A retrospective multicenter study of the Artelon® carpometacarpal joint implant. HAND 6, 364–372 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-011-9366-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11552-011-9366-0

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