I'm weighing up surgery on my thumb joints

I have arthritis in both thumbs ( wrist joints & one above). I've had poor punch grip in L thumb for many years due to lax joints & had minor surgery to stop the "swan -neck" years ago. Last year I developed pain in R thumb as well. I've seen one hand specialist & had steroid injections via X Ray into both hands but little pain relief. My options are  wear splints to help - I have 2 different types but find, particularly on L hand, that they cause my hands to ache & arms. Wearing them for any length of time also makes my shoulders/ upper back sore. The surgery I've been offered, on whichever hand I'd like to start with with, is a trapeziectomy. However, as I'm a music teacher ( piano/ woodwind) & keen crafter (knitting/crochet/etc)  then I'm concerned losing the bone will cause me to lose some dexterity & also shorten thumb, which could impact on music playing. I have hyperflexible joints on fingers/ thumbs so years of overuse has led me to arthritis. 

Ive been researching other surgical treatments to have instead of the full trapeziectomy & wondered if you'd been offered anything else, e.g partial joint replacement etc. 

I'm going next week to see another hand specialist in another part of the UK as I'd rather have all options explored before going the full route of having the bone removed. I'm thinking of having L  hand done first as that currently is the weaker. I've not been able to do lots of things - even turning a page of music can be painful. 

Appreciate any thoughts. 

I had this operation on my right hand 3 months ago.  It is still very sore, but I have not lost any feeling or dexterity in the thumb.  Lots of rehab exercises required though. My Pinch strength is nearly the same now as my left thumb, which is knackered as well.  I can form a fist, and write and type ok, so that is back to normal. What I can say is get a specialist to do it, there is a person here who had it done and now her thumb is totally numb,  Probably because nerves were damaged. That is definitely not a fun scenario. As an indicator, I can now turn the ignition key in my car with little pain, and I could not do that before.  My surgeon has said that it could take up to 12 months to be back to close to 100%.  The thumb obviously will not be as strong as it was when one was arthritis free, but I believe it can come pretty close.

As I said it is still pretty painful, but there is a lot of repair to do as it is a fairly invasive surgery.  I am not in a hurry to do the left one that is for sure, but I know that is eventually going to need to be done.

Thanks for your reply.

I would only see a specialist hand surgeon. The one I saw last year is a specialist in this field but as he doesn't offer partial joint replacement etc or couldn't answer my question about possible effect for a musician, I've decided to go for a second opinion. I've got to travel a couple of hours or so to see the other specialist but I know he does offer more than one solution, so think it's worth asking the questions.

The 1st specialist feel that, as I have the arthritis in more than one joint in my thumb, that other surgical procedures would not fix the problem.

I have also had my L thumb get locked into position across palm so maybe I have other issues going on as well. This symptom is new this year!

Hi thereMylene,   I had surgery on my left thumb joint, the most painful of my hands, four weeks ago.  I did not have a moments pain since until yesterday.  MY hand is in a fibreglass frame with my four fingers free.  The worst part of  havi ng the surgery is not being able to do much esp drive.  II am counting the days til the frame can come off.  Two more weeks at least.  What sent the fear through me was that las evening I started getting the odd dart of arthritic pain down my thumb.  It freaked me out in case the surgery has not worked.  I will have to have physio when the frame is removed.  I am still going to be positive and focus on a good outcome.  I am 67 and even driving had become difficult because here in Ireland cars are mostly stick shift.

I still get injections in my right hand and will continue as long as I can before opting for surgery for that hand  All I have been doing these  past weeks is walking reading and watching films! Any more progress with you?

Yes, I have wrist pain. The doctor says it will pass, but it's been 3 1/2 months now.

I still get some wrist pain, but not very often, 3.5months for me also, Surgeon says not unusual at all, and can take up to 12 months depending on the individual...

I am happy I had the surgery on both hands . Eventually the joint will collapse and the thumb falls into your palm. I didn't want that. He said it can still happen but I am pain free for the most part. I had one done 8-16-2016 and one 12-16-2016

Flat pack surgery? Typo. Should have been flat pack furniture. 

Cheers 

I'm glad your happy with your surgery Michelle. I'm still on the hunt for alternatives. My next option will be stem cells but I'll leave that to when and if the gelatin no longer provides adequate pain relief. 

You are a patient person!

I love alternative options and hope you find something that works for you. 

 

Hi,

?I was 36 when I had the reconstruction surgery of my right thumb and 5 years later I had the left one done.  There was NO alternative.  I tried the cortizone shots and they were BRUTALLY painful.  I learned later that hands and feet are the most sensitive/affected.

?So, Good luck on your other one.  I STILL do the exercises recommended by the Physical Therapist.  But I'm just like that. I sometimes over-do it and I pay the price as well. 

Thanks Michelle. 

Are you saying that I'm a patient? :-))

Cheers 

Reporting back on gelatin: did about 6 wks. and felt no lessening of pain. Had an appmt. scheduled for end of April with surgeon to discuss the surgery but put it off until June. Going to try to get thru a spring planting. Figure if the pain isnt that bad, I don't need the surgery.  May be kidding myself, I know it won't get any better, the right is bone-on-bone and totally out of alignment, and now I'm beginning to feel the same pain in my left, just putting off the envitable. In the meantime, primary doc recommended tumeric which ive been taking, not as effective as Rx but think it does help a little, but then I ind myself doing less and less with my hand, trying to save it. Have to say, to everyone on this chain, it helps reading about other's experiencees and being aware of the successes, what work has to be put in for rehab, as well as what can go wrong.  You all keep posting, I'll keep reading!

Hi Kathleen. My next step if the gelatin ends up not providing sufficient relief is to look at stem cell treatment. There is a ton of stuff on Google about it.

Baducally, they take either fat or bone marrow from you and extract stem cells from it and inject back into the joint. A group here in Sydney do it and claim 50% pain reduction for two years...cost $800. 

I work full time in my business ....I just can't afford the recovery time involved with surgery ....hence my determination to find an alternative. 

Cheers 

Carin, hope your gelatin fix comes back, seems to be the least invasive for you.  Have not heard about the stem cell procedure.  Will search out some info and pose it  to hand surgeon in June.,  The recovery time with surgery concerns me, especially if I have to do the left one too.  That would be, at least, one whole year without full use and then I also worry about what can go wrong.  Good luck with the gelatin. Hopefully that will do the job.