ISIS trapeziometacarpal arthroplasty: What are the outcomes in male patients?

Abstract

Trapeziometacarpal arthroplasty is a well-known treatment of thumb basal joint arthritis. However, only a few studies have been done on its use specifically in men, with one of the most recent showing a high implant failure rate. Our study was a retrospective analysis of the ISIS prosthesis exclusively in men. Our hypothesis was that it is a viable therapeutic solution. Between 2010 and 2020, 23 ISIS prostheses were implanted in 19 patients. A radiological and functional analysis was done, combined with a self-evaluation by multiple validated outcome scores (visual analog scale for pain, QuickDASH, PRWE, SF36, and Kapandji scores). The median follow-up was 76 months (13–134) with a median age of 69 years. The mean pain level was 1/10, the QuickDASH was 22.7, the PRWE was 14.2, the SF-36 was 61.1 and the Kapandji score was 8.9. One dislocation occurred in one patient; two patients had to be reoperated for periprosthetic ossifications. Radiolucency was found around the cup in one patient and around the metacarpal shaft in one patient. There was no implant failure and only one case of asymptomatic loosening, with a survival rate of 94% at 111 months. In the medium-term, clinical, and functional outcomes were satisfactory with pain relief similar to that of published studies, with a low rate of complications. ISIS arthroplasty appears to be a suitable treatment for thumb basal joint arthritis in men, although a non-negligible rate of periprosthetic ossifications required revision surgery in half of the cases.