Background: The outcome of total wrist prostheses is disappointing due to complications, mainly loosening or absence of osseointegration. The main reason is poor placement. The aim of this study was to examine whether computer-assisted surgery (CAS) was advantageous in wrist prosthesis implantation.
Methods: Our study group comprised eight patients. Group I was operated on with CAS and Group II without. In both groups, we used the RE-MOTION PGT prosthesis. In Group I, we used a navigation system to navigate the guide pin and K-wire of the radial component. The evaluation consisted of measuring the operating time, intra-operative stability and mobility and orientation of the prosthetic components on X-rays.
Results: The operating time was increased by 34 min with CAS. Intra-operative mobility in the two groups was comparable. There was no difference between the two groups with regard to the position of prosthetic components, except for the lateral view of the radial component.
Conclusions: Our results show that CAS could improve placement of total wrist prostheses. All that is left to be done is to convince industrialists to invest in navigation systems dedicated to small joints.
(c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.