The aim of this work was to point out the meaning of pyrocarbon spacer as replacement of the trapezium in case of rhizarthrosis.
32 Patients (20 female, 12 male) provided in our department between January 2005 and June 2008 with pyrocarbon spacer as replacement of the trapezium as a result of a radiologic as well as clinical documented rhizarthrosis. To rate the therapy a clinical and radiological examination was done and the score of Buck-Gramcko was used. Because of a complication in two patients the spacer was taken out and a suspension arthroplasty was done. Those two patients were not considered in the study.
80% good and very good results according to the score of Buck-Gramcko, 13.3% of satisfactory and 6.7% bad results were obtained. Dislocation of the implant is the main complication of the presented procedure.
With the presented procedure it is possible to achieve in the majority of the treated patients good and very good results. 4 dislocations in the examined collective and the price of the implant of 930 Euro has to be discussed critically.