Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty (Base of thumb )

Posted by v8auto @v8auto, 5 days ago

My right thumb has a lump near the base and is becoming painful.

I have a small degree of arthritis, this is the worst part.

There seem to be various ways of replacing the basal joint, different surgical techniques.

Could you share your experience, which method, how usable the thumb is afterwards and any complications?

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reversed | @reversed | 4 days ago

I had a small muscle in my forearm where the tendon was snipped off of it, and was used to replace the cartilege at the base of my thumb to allow painless movement. It was all a bit strange- had to not allow any contact with the thumb so that all the new componets could "scar" in reliably. The weirdest part was feeling the muscle withou a conncetion flex occasionally. The thumb works fine.

kathydod | @kathydod | 3 days ago

I had the bone just below my thumb removed and a hammock was built out of tendons to support my thumb. The rehab and PT took some time but I can use my thumb without pain now. The strength isn't quite the same but it is much more functional than it was before surgery.

Laraine | @lr | 3 days ago

I had carpometacarpal surgery two years ago. Though I can do more with less pain in general, I still have pain and less strength--probably a combination of an inpingement (which additional surgery could help...or not my surgeon said) and osteoarthritis.

Overall, I am very glad I had the surgery. To go from 99% pain to less than 10% pain is a good thing.

wdboze | @wdboze | 3 days ago

I had the surgery on both thumbs approximately 8-10 yers ago. Surgery removed the trapezium at the base of both and then wired the thumb metacarpal to the index finger metacarpal in the base of the hand. Some reduction in strength but no pain