Total wrist arthroplasty: commentary and opinions

Total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) is gaining interest as a management option for wrist arthritis. This review article summarizes the current evidence base for TWA, focusing on the performance and survivorship of fourth-generation implants. These appear to offer satisfactory patient-reported outcomes and survivorship over the medium term, but heterogeneity between implants and patient populations complicates data interpretation. We discuss issues facing TWA practice, including surgical competency, volume, implant development and stewardship. We acknowledge the need for further research on this topic and highlight a number of questions that need answering.

Automated summary

Total wrist arthroplasty (TWA) is gaining interest as a management option for wrist arthritis. This review discusses the performance and survivorship of fourth-generation implants, which appear to offer satisfactory outcomes over the medium term. However, data interpretation is complicated due to heterogeneity between implants and patient populations. Issues such as surgical competency, volume, implant development, and stewardship are also discussed. Further research is needed to answer remaining questions in this field.