Revision Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthroplasty

No single revision CMC arthroplasty surgery has been identified as a superior technique. This is attributed to several factors including the diagnostic challenge of pain after primary CMC arthroplasty, the wide range of surgical approaches for CMC arthroplasty (and therefore, unique complications), the paucity of literature, and the relatively rare incidence of revision surgery. There is an increasing number of publications that show the benefit of revision CMC arthroplasty, but surgeons are encouraged to caution patient expectations because successful resolution of pain cannot be uniformly expected. To achieve the best possible outcome, surgeons should be aware of the most common causes of failed CMC arthroplasty and the available treatment options.