Wrist fusion

Lucy12

I’ve had wrist fusion, my surgeon did not take enough bone off the ulna head so I am unable to turn my hand palm up. Would I be able to have another operation to take more bone off so that I can have improved movement.

[Deleted User]

Hello and welcome Lucy12 to Versus Arthritis Community Forum

I'm sorry to read of problem with your wrist, particularly since you had surgery on it already. Without sounding rude, I have a feeling that you should be directing your question back to your consultant. Can I suggest you have a chat with our Versus Arthritis Helpline 0800 520 0520. Our forum users are most helpful and may also be able to offer some advice.

I've found this link that may be of help:-

https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/system/search-results.aspx?keywords=hand+joints

Enjoy the forum.

John

viewmaster

Lucy12 wrote:

I’ve had wrist fusion, my surgeon did not take enough bone off the ulna head so I am unable to turn my hand palm up. Would I be able to have another operation to take more bone off so that I can have improved movement.

Lucy12, did you have total wrist fusion?
Only reason I ask is I have had the same outcome on both my wrists, I can only rotate each about 70'.
But for all of the restrictions the loss of pain is worth the loss of some functional movement.
Hardest thing is to pick something off the floor or use a screwdriver.
Each time I try to do something & fail, I try to find something to purchase to get me by.
Best usefull thing is a small pistol grip type rechargeable screwdriver.



Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

stickywicket

Hi Lucy and welcome from me too.

I've not had wrist surgery. My wrists fused themselves. I can't rotate them fully but don't find it a problem. As Mod John says, if you feel you might need further surgery, you'd have to ask your surgeon. Wrist surgery isn't as common as knee and hip surgery so not many on here have had it. I hope you can find satisfaction with it.

Lucy12

moderator wrote:

Hello and welcome Lucy12 to Versus Arthritis Community Forum

I'm sorry to read of problem with your wrist, particularly since you had surgery on it already. Without sounding rude, I have a feeling that you should be directing your question back to your consultant. Can I suggest you have a chat with our Versus Arthritis Helpline 0800 520 0520. Our forum users are most helpful and may also be able to offer some advice.

I've found this link that may be of help:-

https://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/system/search-results.aspx?keywords=hand+joints


Enjoy the forum.

John

Hi John,
I had wrist fusion on my right hand 18 months ago with great results and movement. Unfortunately my orthopaedic consultant retired and a Hand Doctor took over my case..
He is a really nice man, but I didn’t have any confidence in him from the start, when I asked for my left hand to be fused, his response was “Well you wouldn’t be sat there asking for that if your right hand hadn’t been a success”. He implied that I was very lucky that my right hand was such a success as it’s not normally the case.
The fusion on my left hand as been a nightmare, I came out of theatre and went home after a few hour without seeing anyone but a nurse and I didn’t see my consultant again until I went back after 10 days. I was only given codine as a pain killer, when the pain blockers wore off I was in excruciating pain, on phoning the hospital that did the operation, I was told to phone 111. My partner unable to get any help phoned for an ambulance and I spent the night in A&E on a drip, throwing up.
Two weeks ago I had the plaster off and X-rays, the consultant was running two and half hours late, when I eventually saw him I didn’t get to sit down and I wasn’t shown the X-rays. The consultants first words were “I’m really disappointed how the operation has turned out, I didn’t take much off the ulna as it can cause clicking”. I asked him if he had taken as much off the left ulna bone as my previous surgeon had taken off my right wrist and he replied “No”. I asked if I would be able to turn my hand palm up and he couldn’t answer me.
I know it’s early days but I’m finding it painful and restricting to try and turn my hand palm up and I don’t feel that I will ever fully achieve that movement.
I feel really disappointed and I question whether my consultant had much experience of doing wrist fusion, either way I can’t change what is done, all I want to know is can another consultant put it right.

Lucy12

viewmaster wrote:

Lucy12 wrote:

I’ve had wrist fusion, my surgeon did not take enough bone off the ulna head so I am unable to turn my hand palm up. Would I be able to have another operation to take more bone off so that I can have improved movement.

Lucy12, did you have total wrist fusion?
Only reason I ask is I have had the same outcome on both my wrists, I can only rotate each about 70'.
But for all of the restrictions the loss of pain is worth the loss of some functional movement.
Hardest thing is to pick something off the floor or use a screwdriver.
Each time I try to do something & fail, I try to find something to purchase to get me by.


Best usefull thing is a small pistol grip type rechargeable screwdriver.



Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Hi, yes I’ve had total wrist fusion with great results with my right hand, my surgeon retired and I had a different surgeon for my left hand. I expected to achieve the same movement in my left and and feel if he had taken the same amount of bone off my left ulna as had been taken off my right wrist it would have been possible.
I just feel if the same surgeon who did the right fusion had also done the left, I wouldn’t have a problem.

dreamdaisy

No two doctors, surgeons or professionals of any kind have the same methods, opinions, reasons or ways. I had the same surgeon do the same operation on my left knee, the first one was horrid, the second one not so bad (it was not a case of fusion or joint replacement, just cleaning out congealed gunk). Neither achieved what was wanted but that's incidental. DD

stickywicket

I can 'hear' that you're very disappointed with the outcome of the second operation compared with the first and you clearly feel this was due to the 'lesser competence' of the second surgeon.

Your original question was “Would I be able to have another operation to take more bone off so that I can have improved movement.” and I think Mod John gave you the best answer of “you should be directing your question back to your consultant. “

There are many reasons why the same operation would provide different outcomes though. The one that immediately springs to mind is that the state of arthritis in the two wrists might have been different. But also it's worth bearing in mind what the NCBI says about wrist fusion:

“The type of operative technique used depends on the underlying condition, quality of bone, presence of bi-lateral disease, condition of the remaining joints of the involved extremity, and surgeon's preference”

and

“Controversy still exists as to the ideal position of the hand. Generally the wrist is placed in slight dorsiflexion and ulnar deviation to optimize power grip. In cases of bilateral involvement, the nondominant hand may be placed in 5 degrees -10 degrees of flexion to better assist in such activities as perineal care”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16274872

If you have a complaint about either the operation or your aftercare you should contact the relevant person in the hospital (Patient Care?). To be frank, I doubt they'd re-do the operation because, while not as satisfying an outcome as the first, it does seem to have fused the wrist and given you what might be considered reasonable movement given that you have arthritis.

I hope all this makes sense.

Kazziwaz

Hi Lucy

Sorry to hear you're having problems.
I had a wrist fusion 15 years ago and it was the best thing I could have had done. I can't turn my wrist fully but it's better than nothing and over the years I got used to it.
With regards to your consultant and issues could you perhaps ask to be referred elsewhere and ask for a review of your previous surgery?
I had surgery on my hand (joint replacement) which led to other issues and my surgeon has listened and has operated 4 times trying to get me the best working fingers he can, he's my 2nd surgeon as the first one was awful and I asked to change.

Marcia

Hi Lucy
I had a fusion in.my big tor a few months ago, it's no comparison to you having a fusion in your wrist. I'm sorry to hear that you are having difficulty with this..I do hope that you get the support with this and what ever is needed to be done gets done ASAP.

dreamdaisy

I think you're a little confused, Marcia: a joint fusion is where the joint is fixed by surgery into one position, restricting movement to nil, an infusion is where medicine is absorbed into the body via an IV drip (intra-venous), usually in the arm. Injections are localised, infusions are not. There is a lot of terminology to master in this arthritis business! DD