To judge the outcome of total wrist arthroplasty.
A retrospective study of 13 patients.
A university hospital.
Seventeen patients with stage III or IV rheumatoid arthritis of the wrist. Only 13 patients were studied because 3 died and 1 was lost to follow-up.
Biaxial total wrist arthroplasty (15 procedures).
Clinical assessment and the Hospital for Special Surgery scoring system and radiologic review.
Good or excellent results were achieved in all patients after an average follow-up of 54 months.
Biaxial total wrist arthroplasty is a reasonable treatment in rheumatoid patients when preservation of wrist motion is critical.