Postoperative Rehabilitation Following Trapeziectomy and Ligament Reconstruction Tendon Interposition

Carpometacarpal (CMC) arthritis of the thumb joint (\'basal arthritis\') is a common entity treated by hand surgeons in our society. It can be a significant source of functional disability secondary to a painful, and often weak, grip. Once patients have failed treatment by conservative means, such as splinting, anti-inflammatories, and cortisone injections, the next option is surgical management. Several surgical options are available depending on the severity of the disease. For the early stages of arthritis options include a ligament reconstruction or a metacarpal extension osteotomy. For advanced stages, only salvage procedures exist. These have included simple trapeziectomy, arthrodesis and implant arthroplasty. The most common procedure, however, has been a trapeziectomy with a ligament reconstruction tendon interposition