AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF SMALL-JOINT COMPRESSION ARTHRODESIS

Arthrodesis of the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints is a technically demanding procedure with significant failure rates. A met hod of compression arthrodesis that was developed by one of the author s (RWB) using a compression clamp and crossed Kirschner wires is repor ted. This technique has been used without complication in the successf ul arthrodesis of 125 consecutive interphalangeal and metacarpophalang eal fusions by two of the authors (RWB and JAIG). An in vivo model of small-joint arthrodesis was then developed using the rabbit humeroulna r joint to compare this method of compression clamp arthrodesis with t he tension band technique. Biomechanical testing at both 2 and 8 weeks postoperatively showed compression clamp arthrodesis to compare favor ably with the tension band technique.