Is bio absorbable screw really reliable for midcarpal arthrodesis? A literature review through a case report

Abstract

Bio absorbable materials have been used for a long time in human surgery. Application in various surgical fields as hand, foot, knee and spine surgery were developed. Among the numerous uses in hand surgery, wrist arthrodesis with those materials has rarely been studied. Should we use bio absorbable screw for midcarpal arthrodesis? We reviewed the literature about wrist arthrodesis with absorbable devices and shared our experience with a case of a midcarpal arthrodesis failure with magnesium and zinc alloy screws. From our review, we found that very few articles about that particular subject were published and amongst them very few had good results regarding wrist arthrodesis. Complications were construct failure and led to reintervention. Thus, this subject should be investigated biomechanically and clinically. According to our research and experience, bio absorbable screws should be avoided for midcarpal arthrodesis.