Wrist Joint Fusion
The traditional treatment for arthritis in the wrist is a fusion. In this procedure, the arthritic joint is permanently stiffened up with a metal plate and screws. This is a very good pain-relieving procedure and is probably the procedure of choice for most patients. You will lose any remaining up and down or side-to-side movement of the wrist. It will not affect your ability to turn the hand palm up or down. For this operation, it is particularly important that you do not smoke in the period around your surgery, as it significantly increases the chances of the bones not joining.
The operation itself takes around an hour and a half to two hours and can be done under general anaesthesia – with you asleep; or under regional anaesthesia – with a numb arm. There will be a scar on the back of the hand, typically around 20cm. This can be quite a painful procedure, and most people need one or two nights in hospital.