A procedure to fuse the wrist bones together to relieve pain and restore function in cases of severe arthritis or injury.
Through an open incision, the remaining damaged cartilage is removed and the wrist bones are held together with plates, screws or wires until they fuse into a single, solid structure. The procedure typically takes one to two hours and is usually day surgery or a short hospital stay.
Assessment includes examination and X-rays to confirm the severity of arthritis and discuss this procedure against alternatives such as partial fusion or replacement. Standard preoperative steps apply, including fasting and arranging transport home.
A cast or brace protects the wrist while it fuses, generally worn for several weeks. Hand therapy focuses on adapting hand and arm function to the fused wrist, with full fusion and recovery generally taking a few months.
Rehabilitation focuses on adapting grip and arm movement patterns to work well without wrist motion, alongside maintaining strength and movement in the fingers, elbow and shoulder to support overall arm function.
Risks include infection, and, though uncommon, the bones failing to fuse together (nonunion), which may need further surgery. The permanent loss of wrist movement is an expected outcome of the procedure rather than a complication, but it is an important part of the decision beforehand.
The aim is reliable, lasting pain relief and restored grip strength for a wrist too damaged for other treatments to help. Most patients experience significant pain relief, with the trade-off being permanent loss of wrist movement, which most people find an acceptable exchange after living with a significantly painful joint.
Wrist fusion joins the wrist bones together, trading movement for reliable pain relief and restored grip strength in severe arthritis. Most patients who proceed to this surgery find the trade-off worthwhile, given how significantly the joint was affecting them beforehand.
