These positive results, the reduction of pain and the satisfaction of the patients advocate the use of this prosthesis for the proximal interphalangeal joint. The postoperative ROM is comparable to those of other prostheses. Concerning implant loosening and swan-neck deformity, these results still offer room for improvement. Critical judgement and further development of the prosthesis design, the operation technique and the instrumentation are required to further optimise the results.
Overall, the results after PIP joint replacement are very good. All patients reported a marked improvement in pain reduction. In group B a significant reduction in the rate of loosening of the prosthesis was shown. Moreover, the rate of swan neck deformity, the range of motion, the reduction of pain and the patient's satisfaction improved over the last years. The application of a new PIP-joint-score for a standardized evaluation of the outcome indicated a good correlation with patient satisfaction over time. The experience of the past years enabled improvements in PIP joint replacement. We consider cementing the prosthesis, a large contact area between the prosthesis and the bone and an emphasis on easy intraoperative flexion/extension as factors which can improve the results after PIP joint replacement. However, some problems could not been solved to date. In this respect, prospective clinical and biomechanical studies are necessary.
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