First metacarpal resurfacing with polyvinyl alcohol implant in osteoarthritis: preliminary study.

Osteoarthritis of first carpometacarpal (CMC) joint is a condition that is frequently encountered in hand surgery. If conservative treatment fails, several surgical procedures are available ranging from arthroscopic debridement to total joint arthroplasty. This study focuses on a new resurfacing technique for the base of the first metacarpal using a polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel implant. Our preliminary study found good clinical outcomes and no inflammatory reaction after a follow-up of 30 months. However prospective studies with a longer follow-up and more patient are needed to confirm these results.