[Basal joint osteoarthritis of the thumb].

The basal joint of the thumb (articulatio carpometacarpalis pollicis) is the joint of the hand most frequently affected by arthritis. Arthritis of the basal joint of the thumb typically occurs in the second half of life and more frequently in women. The clinical symptoms are pain, joint swelling, reduced strength and limited hand function with a reduced hand span. When clinical symptoms first appear a conservative treatment is initially indicated. If these measures do not lead to an improvement of the complaints, various operative measures are possible depending on the stage of the disease detected by radiological imaging.