Wrist Replacement

Wrist Replacement Surgery in Koramangala, Bangalore

Wrist replacement surgery is performed mostly for untreatable arthritis. These surgeries are not very common but are feasible because of their high success rates. Early stages of wrist arthritis can be easily treated with medications, but doctors can suggest surgery as the last resort.

To know more about wrist replacement surgeries, search online for an orthopaedic surgeon near me.

What do we need to know about a wrist replacement surgery?

Wrist replacement surgery is a surgical procedure that your orthopaedics will recommend for the wrist joint in case of injury to the joint or arthritis. This is also known as arthroplasty which is done as an alternative to wrist fusion surgery to preserve the free movement of the wrist. Older patients are the most common candidates for wrist replacement therapy. If you undergo a wrist replacement surgery, you will be able to perform regular activities gradually.

What are the symptoms related to wrist replacement?

• Kienbock disease or death of the lunate bone due to shortage of blood supply
• Avascular necrosis of the carpal bones or pain in the wrist
• Pain or stiffness in the wrist
• Reduced hand movement
• Swelling at the joint
• Clicking, cracking or grinding sounds on movements

What are the causes leading to a wrist replacement surgery?

• Wearing out of cartilage leads to rubbing of bones resulting in arthritis
  • By injury
  • By accident
  • By infection
• Osteoarthritis
• Failed wrist fusion or failed procedure of fusing carpal and radius bone
• Post-traumatic arthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis (auto-immune disorder)
• Wrist-joint infection
• Torn-ligaments or fractures

When do we need to see a doctor?

When you have consistent pain in the wrist joint and it does not go away or if you have painful arthritis that is not responding to any treatments, you should consult an orthopaedic surgeon near you.

You can request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Koramangala, Bangalore.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

What are the risk factors?

• Lack of active wrist extensions
• Patients with minimally functional hands
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Infection at the wrist
• Synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

How is wrist replacement surgery done?

An orthopaedic surgeon will recommend a wrist replacement surgery when other treatments are not helping in alleviating the pain. Before the surgery, the doctor will ask you to take some physical tests to assess the position of pain. He/she might even ask you some questions about the symptoms and also check your medical history for any genetic pattern. The orthopaedic surgeon will sometimes ask you to take some blood tests to confirm any rheumatoid factor present in the blood. You will also have to take an Imaging test like an X-ray so that the doctor can see the injury directly through the X-ray report.

After the diagnostic tests are done, the doctor will proceed with the surgery and place a cast to heal the surgical wounds for almost 12-15 weeks.

What are the complications of wrist replacement surgery?

• Periprosthetic fractures
• Loosening implants
• Implant failure
• Damages nerves or blood cells
• Dislocation of the wrist
• Instability of the wrist
• Infections

What should you not do after a wrist replacement surgery?

• Avoid doing strenuous activities
• Avoid stretching your hands to extreme positions
• Avoid weight-bearing or putting pressure on your wrist
• Avoid lifting heavy objects on a regular basis
• Avoid hanging your wrist for a long time

Conclusion

Wrist replacement surgery is a surgical procedure for replacing the damages in the wrist joint with medical prosthesis. The rehabilitation process takes 12-15 weeks while the implants are safe for 10-15 years after surgery. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, wrist pains, injured cartilages and failed fusion surgeries are a few reasons why patients undergo wrist replacement surgery. You should consult an orthopaedic surgeon if you feel consistent pain in your wrist or if you have incurable arthritis.