Clinical experience with the modified rehabilitation protocol after trapeziometacarpal joint resection suspension interposition autotendoplasty

Aim. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a modified postoperative rehabilitation protocol in patients who underwent their first carpometacarpal joint resection suspension interposition autotendoplasty.Materials and Methods. The study included 52 patients treated for trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis stage II-IV according to the Eaton-Littler and Kellgren-Lawrence classification in the Upper Limbs Surgery Department of the Bauman City Clinical Hospital from 2017 to 2022. All patients underwent trapeziometacarpal joint resection suspension interposition autotendoplasty and a course of rehabilitation. The evaluation of surgical treatment and rehabilitation results was carried out based on indicators on the VAS, DASH, and hand grip strength scales 12 months after surgery.Results. The complex treatment resulted in the complete restoration of hand function. Twelve months after surgery, there was a significant improvement in hand functional parameters. According to the DASH scale, the improvement was 80 % compared to the preoperative level (p = 0.000). The pain syndrome, according to the VAS scale, decreased by 84 % from the baseline (p = 0.000). Affected hand grip strength reached its maximum value of 26.2 kg, exceeding the preoperative level by 67 % (p = 0.006).Conclusion. The modified rehabilitation protocol used after performing trapeziometacarpal joint resection suspension interposition autotendoplasty in clinical practice enabled the full restoration of affected hand function.