Patients suffering from finger joint pain or dysfunction due to arthritis and traumatic injury may require arthroplasty and joint replacement. This intervention is indicated for the finger joints when medical management has failed to relieve the pain or when the digit deformity is interfering with hand function and activities of daily living (ADL). Surgical procedures can greatly improve function and relieve pain, allowing patients to maintain independence and improve their quality of life.
For patients with metacarpophalangeal (MCP) deformities, surgical options include synovectomy, intrinsic release/transfer, extensor tendon relocation, arthrodesis, and implant arthroplasty. Relatively few surgical options exist for the painful arthritic interphalangeal (PIP) joints. Currently, patients with arthritis of the PIP joints have 2 surgical options—arthrodesis or implant arthroplasty. (1) Arthrodesis provides excellent pain relief and stability. However, it sacrifices finger function in exchange for these benefits.
The goals of implant arthroplasty of the finger joints are pain relief, correction of deformity, and improvement in the function and appearance of the hand. Many prosthetic implants have been designed for the replacement of MCP and PIP joints. The most popular finger implant is the Swanson prosthesis, a single piece of silicone that acts as a flexible space. (2) Several silicone finger joint prostheses designs have tried to improve upon the Swanson prosthesis.