Effectiveness of Arthroscopic Debridement, Trapeziectomy, and Joint Replacement for Trapeziometacarpal Joint Osteoarthritis: A Meta-Analysis of Pre and Postoperative Pain Scores

Abstract

Trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis (TMJO) affects up to 33% of postmenopausal women, leading to pain, reduced mobility, and grip strength, with initial treatments focusing on non-surgical options like injections, orthoses, and exercises before considering surgery. A major challenge in managing TMJO involves selecting the optimal surgical strategy that is customized to individual clinical conditions. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of three common surgical interventions for TMJO in relieving pain, including arthroscopic debridement (AD), trapeziectomy (TRAP), and joint replacement (JR). PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and MEDLINE databases were queried according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for studies that presented pain outcomes following intervention for TMJO. Pain scores were reported preoperatively and postoperatively using the visual analog scale (VAS). Inclusion criteria included studies published in Q1 and Q2 journals and those with a follow-up of > six months. The final selection comprised 18 studies with 763 patients treated with AD (n = 102, 13%), TRAP (n = 428, 56%), and JR (n = 233, 31%) between 2010 and 2023, with a mean follow-up period of 38 ± 28 months. The studies included a total of 24 groups, five of which received AD, 13 of which received TRAP, and six of which received JR. The mean preoperative VAS was 6.7 ± 1.7, and the mean postoperative VAS was 1.7 ± 1.3 for all groups (P < 0.001). The meta-analysis demonstrated a mean preoperative pain score of 5.8 (95% CI, 4.1-7.5) for AD, 6.6 (95% CI, 5.7-7.5) for TRAP, and 7.8 (95% CI, 7.0-8.7) for JR. Postoperatively, there was a mean pain score of 2.2 (95% CI, 0.1-4.2) for AD, 1.4 (95% CI, 1.1-1.7) for TRAP, and 0.9 (95% CI, 0.6-1.2) for JR. This study showed that, if appropriately indicated, joint preservation with AD may be as effective as TRAP and JR for reducing pain associated with TMJO in the short term. However, the rate of conversion or revision should be assessed in future studies.