Abstract
Destruction and dislocation of the metacarpophalangeal (MP) joints are common lesions in rheumatoid fingers. Forty-six MP joint replacements were carried out in 13 women and one man with a mean age of 51.3 (range 31-79) years. We examined the short-term results of a Swanson MP arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The range of motion and grip strength were measured at a mean final follow-up of 4.6 (range 2-7.6) years. Subjective outcome was determined with the JSSH version of Quick DASH. An X-ray analysis was undertaken to identify any implant failure and re-deformity of joints. The arc of MP joint motion and grip strength did not improve, but on the other hand, flexion deformity and ulnar deviation of the MP joint significantly improved postoperatively. Implant fracture occurred in one case in which an implant without a titanium grommet was used. None of the cases suffered any silicone synovitis or infection during the follow up period. Our results showed that the Swanson flexible implant provided pain relief, and corrected palmar dislocation and ulnar deviation but did not improve the arc of motion.
