Prospective study of a new total wrist arthroplasty: short term results.

We present early results (average 32 months follow-up, minimum 12 months) of a prospective study of the ReMotion™ total wrist arthroplasty in a series of 20 wrists (19 patients) with end-stage arthritic wrists (of whom 13 were rheumatoid). Overall there were no intra-operative complications, dislocations or reoperations. We observed one carpal and one radial loosening--both in rheumatoid patients. Neither was symptomatic enough to warrant reoperation. In the rheumatoid group of 13 wrists there was an average of 41% clinical score improvement. According to the Meuli score there were seven excellent, five good and one poor result. In the non-rheumatoid group of seven wrists there was an average of 27% clinical score improvement. According to the Meuli score there were two excellent, two good, two fair and one poor result. In the short term follow-up of this series, the ReMotion™ total wrist arthroplasty provided better results and less devastating complications than the old generation total wrist arthroplasties. Longer follow-up is needed to validate these early results.