Extract
The article "Metacarpophalangeal Joint Arthroplasty in Rheumatoid
Arthritis. A Long-Term Assessment"
(2003;85:1869-78), by Goldfarb
and Stern, represents the long-term results with an average follow-up of
fourteen years. In the study, the high rate (63%) of implant fractures, loss
of joint motion, and recurrence of ulnar drift and, to the authors, the
disappointing subjective outcomes (mean, 55 of a possible 100 points on the
Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire) led them to conclude that the
indications for metacarpophalangeal arthroplasty need to be examined
carefully.