| Joint surgery for arthritis might become necessary | | | | joint are allowed to grow together and make one |
| once you get to a point where you cannot handle | | | | solid bone. This method is often used on the basal or |
| the pain any longer. You have tried the medications | | | | carpometacarpal joint. That's the joint between the |
| your doctor prescribed, you went to see a physical | | | | thumb and the wrist. It's the preferred surgery for |
| therapist and you received regular cortisone shots | | | | younger people. It will get rid of the pain and still |
| from your physician. As a last resort there still is | | | | allow a firm grip. People that do heavy work prefer |
| surgery. There are three different types of surgery: | | | | this method because they do need to have that firm |
| - joint replacement | | | | grip. They rather have the firm grip than the other, |
| - fusion | | | | finer movements of the thumb. |
| - excisional arthroplasty The method of surgery will | | | | Excisional Arthroplasty |
| most likely depend on which joint is involved and also | | | | This is really the traditional surgery for the basal joint. |
| which is best suited for your situation. | | | | The surgeon will remove the arthritic surfaces of the |
| Joint Replacement | | | | joint bones. Then he will use other material to replace |
| Doctors used to replace joints with artificial ones, | | | | the cartilage and separate the bones. In most cases |
| made of silicone. When there were problems with | | | | the surgeon will use a tendon. He will roll it up and |
| silicone breast implants doctors stopped using silicone | | | | place it between the two bones, to fill up the space |
| altogether. They went back to excisional arthroplasty | | | | where the cartilage used to be. Over time this |
| and fusion again. | | | | tendon will turn into tough scar tissue. It will form a |
| Now there are newer materials for joint replacement | | | | flexible connection between the bones like a joint. |
| and doctors went back to replacing joints.. | | | | After the surgery your thumb will be in a splint and |
| Not all joints are suitable for joint replacement. | | | | your hand will be bandaged and padded. |
| Among them are the thumb, wrist, ankle, toes and | | | | Once the bandages are off it will take at least up to |
| finger. Also the first vertebra in the neck. | | | | eight weeks of physical therapy to get the joint back |
| Fusion | | | | to working properly again. |
| Fusion, or arthrodesis, is when the two bones in a | | | | |