Between 1971 and 1982, thirty-three patients underwent scaphoid silicone
arthroplasty, and twenty-three of them were available for review after an
average of three years of follow-up. Radiographically, there was evidence
of carpal collapse with a progressive decrease in carpal height and a
progressive increase in the scapholunate angle in thirteen wrists.
Subluxation of the spacer occurred in thirteen patients, and nine of them
also had dislocation of the trapezial stem. Clinically, grip strength did
not improve and wrist motion increased only slightly. There were complaints
of pain associated with subluxation of the spacer in more than half of the
patients. Ten patients, eight of whom had a subluxated spacer, underwent
thirteen secondary surgical procedures.