Thumb joint distraction is used to treat painful thumb osteoarthritis (OA). It can prevent or slow down the progression of OA by relieving stress on the cartilage. This prevents further wear and tear and allows the cartilage to recover.
Thumb joint distraction is used to treat painful thumb osteoarthritis (OA). It can prevent or slow down the progression of OA by relieving stress on the cartilage. This prevents further wear and tear and allows the cartilage to recover.
Joint distraction is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that preserves the thumb joint. It combines advanced surgical techniques with the body’s natural healing processes to repair damaged cartilage in the thumb.
Thumb joint distraction is used to treat painful thumb osteoarthritis (OA). It can prevent or slow down the progression of OA by relieving stress on the cartilage. This prevents further wear and tear and allows the cartilage to recover.
It can help many people affected by arthritis. Thumb joint, or first carpometacarpal joint OA, affects more than one-third of people aged over 55. It’s most common in women aged 50-70.
It’s important to feel well informed about your treatment and to carry out any exercises you’ve been given to do before and after your surgery. A member of our physiotherapy team will be able to advise you about the kind of exercises that could help.
You’ll have some pre-operative tests including blood tests that check your levels of
Vitamin D (which is important for bone and joint health) as well as swabs to rule out infection or other problems. As well as being weighed, there’ll be an opportunity to discuss your medical history and any risks of surgery that might affect you.
We’ll discuss the risks and complications of treatment with you so that you understand exactly what’s involved.
If you decide to go ahead, it’s important to follow the preparation advice from your healthcare team. This includes:
Most people have a general anaesthetic, but this is something we’ll discuss with you during your pre-operative appointment.
The procedure itself usually takes around 45 minutes and, in most cases, you’ll be able to go home the same day.
During this minimally invasive procedure, a small external frame is fixed across the joint where the thumb meets the palm of the hand. This enables it to be distracted (pulled apart) by about 3mm. Creating space in the joint helps the cartilage to heal itself. The device will stay on your hand for around 8 weeks before it is removed.
Your hand will feel numb and will be raised to minimise swelling. You’ll be encouraged to get up and move about as much as possible. This helps improve blood flow and reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
After your surgery, you’ll be shown how to clean the wounds to avoid infection. Your hand therapist will give you some exercises to help speed up your recovery.
The more closely you stick to your rehabilitation programme, the more benefit you’ll get from your surgery.
You’ll be given a schedule of follow-up appointments to check the frame and how well you’re recovering. We’ll be able to advise you about which activities you’ll be able to do.
During your operation, you’ll be given an injection of pain relief in your hand. Afterwards, you’ll be given painkillers as required. Any pain is usually from the pin wounds rather than from the distraction in the joint. In most cases, this settles down within a few days after the operation and only requires mild painkillers.
The risk of complications is low but can include infection in the pin wounds. You might also have stiffness around the joint, but this can be helped by doing your exercises regularly.
Other complications can include:
Before you go home, you’ll be shown how to keep the wounds clean. You should contact us, or your own GP straight away if:
That depends on the kind of work you do. If your job involves manual work, you may need up to four months off.
This can vary from person to person, but your surgeon will be able to advise you. In most cases, we recommend that you don’t drive while the frame is on your hand (for around 8 weeks after your surgery) and, in some cases, for a while afterwards. Your surgeon will be able to advise you about this.
Please note: it’s your own responsibility to drive safely, and you should check with your insurer to confirm you are covered.
The best way to improve your rehabilitation is to follow any advice from your hand therapist about gradually building up your exercises so you can get back to normal as soon as possible.
It can take up to a year to feel the full benefits of surgery. You can help your recovery by carrying out the rehabilitation exercises your hand therapist advises.
