What is a Trapeziectomy?
The trapezium if the cube shaped bone in your wrist that is joined
to the base of your thumb which can suffer from
osteoarthritis. This is where there is a gradual wear and
tear of the joint at the base of the thumb which is more common in
women and may run in families.
Your doctor may recommend a trapeziectomy which is an operation
to remove the trapezium.
What does this involve?
A trapeziectomy is usually carried out under general anaesthetic
and between 60 And 90 minutes.
Your surgeon will make a small cut on the back of your hand at
the base of the thumb to remove the trapezium. They may
reconstruct the ligament to connect your thumb to your wrist using
the tendon that runs over the trapezium.
Your skin will be closed with stitches.
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When will I recover?
You will have a bandage or plaster on your hand and it is
important to keep your hand raised, using a sling or a
pillow. You should be able to go home the same say and your
physiotherapist will advise you when you can return to normal
activities.
After four to six weeks the bandage or plaster will be removed
and it is important to to gently exercise your thumb and fingers to
aid recovery
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What risks should I know about?
A trapeziectomy is an extremely safe procedure but there is a
small risk of continued numbness or pain caused by damage to the
radial nerve during the operation.
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Circle care
Trapeziectomy is carried out by our specialist team at
CircleBath where you can be sure of state of the art facilities and
the best possible care to get you back to normal as soon as
possible.
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