Trapezietomy and now facing a thumb joint fusion.

inlinedancer

Hi, I had a trapeziectomy on my left thumb last October and have been attending hand therapy appointments ever since. My thumb has sort of become spoon shaped where the ligaments in the next joint up are weak. I am back in a splint with metal in it to help keep the joint in place and continue to do exercises to strengthen it in the correct position for 3 weeks. If this does not work I may have to consider having this joint fused. I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else following a trapeziectomy or if anyone has had this thumb joint fused?

barbara12

Hebllo
I am suppose to have a trapeziectomy, after the injections stopped working, if I have it right they remove the bone at the bottom of the thumb..have they explained why it has gone wrong...I do hope the exercises will and you dont have to go through more surgery..

inlinedancer

Thank you Barbara, yes they do remove the bone at the base of your thumb joint. I have no pain in the operation site now so I am feeling disheartened by having pain further up my thumb!! He is saying that this joint may have over compensated by doing all the work for the arthritic joint and now it has been repaired that joint has weakened. I hope I don't have to go through further surgery on it as I have to have my right thumb done at some stage too. I had a cortisone injection in this and it has lasted about two months and is back to being painful again now.

stickywicket

I reckon two months is about right for a cortisone jab. Unfortunately :roll:

It can happen that, by tinkering with one joint, another is affected. I hope the fusion will be the end of it for you.