Could a Tiny Camera Help Fix Your Thumb Pain Without Big Surgery?

If your thumb hurts at the base when you grip things or turn a key, you might have a condition doctors call rhizarthrosis. This is when the joint at the bottom of your thumb wears out over time. It can make simple tasks feel impossible. Most people feel better with rest, splints, and medicine. But sometimes the pain stays. When that happens, you might need surgery.

This article shares the results of a study about a special kind of surgery. It uses a tiny camera and small tools. The doctors tested it on 12 people with thumb pain. The results were very good. People felt much less pain and could use their thumbs much better after the surgery.

Here are three important things from the study:

• People had much less pain after surgery. Their pain score dropped from 8.8 out of 10 to just 1.2 out of 10.
• Their thumb movement got much better. Before surgery, they scored 3.6 out of 10 on a test. After surgery, they scored 9 out of 10.
• Their hand function improved. People said daily tasks became much easier.

In this article:

• What is rhizarthrosis and why does it hurt?
• What did the study look at?
• Who was in the study?
• How does this surgery work?
• What were the results?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion
• Disclaimer
• Article Citation

What is rhizarthrosis and why does it hurt?

Rhizarthrosis is a big word for arthritis at the base of your thumb. The joint where your thumb meets your wrist is called the CMC joint. That stands for carpometacarpal joint. This joint lets you move your thumb in many directions. You use it when you pinch, grip, or turn things.

Over time, the smooth cushion inside the joint can wear down. When that happens, the bones start to rub against each other. This rubbing causes pain. It also causes swelling. Your thumb may feel weak or stiff. Simple things like opening a jar or holding a pen can become painful.

You may be wondering why this matters. Well, your thumb is very important. You use it for almost every hand task. When your thumb hurts, your whole hand stops working well.

What did the study look at?

Doctors in Chile wanted to test a newer way to fix thumb arthritis. The surgery is called arthroscopic hemitrapezectomy with suspension. That sounds complicated. Let us break it down into simple parts.

Arthroscopic means the doctor uses a tiny camera. The camera goes inside your joint through a very small cut. The doctor can see inside without making a big opening. This is gentler on your body.

Hemitrapezectomy means removing part of a small bone. The bone is called the trapezium. It sits at the base of your thumb. The doctor removes just a piece of it. This creates space so the bones do not rub together anymore.

Suspension means the doctor uses a special device to hold your thumb bones in the right place. They used something called a Mini TightRope. It is a strong thread that acts like a bridge. It keeps the thumb stable while it heals.

Here is where it gets interesting. This technique is minimally invasive. That means it does less damage to your body than older surgeries. Older surgeries needed bigger cuts and longer recovery times.

Who was in the study?

Research shows that the study included 12 people. There were 3 men and 9 women. Their average age was 56 years old. All of them had thumb pain that did not get better with rest, splints, or medicine.

The doctors checked how bad their arthritis was. They used a system called the Eaton Littler classification. This system has stages from 1 to 4. Stage 1 is mild. Stage 4 is very severe. The people in this study were in stages 2 or 3. That means they had medium level arthritis. Seven people were in stage 2. Five people were in stage 3.

The doctors also looked inside the joint during surgery. They used another rating system called the Badia classification. This system checks how damaged the cartilage is. Cartilage is the smooth cushion that covers the bones. Half the people were in stage 2 of Badia. The other half were in stage 3.

How does this surgery work?

Let us look closer at what happens during the surgery. First, the doctor makes a very small cut near your thumb. Then they put a tiny camera inside. This camera lets them see the whole joint on a screen.

Next, the doctor removes part of the trapezium bone. This is the bone that has been rubbing and causing pain. They only take out the part that is damaged. The rest of the bone stays in place.

After that, they put in the Mini TightRope device. This device connects two bones with a strong thread. It acts like a suspension bridge. It holds your thumb in the right position while new tissue grows around it.

The whole surgery is done through very small cuts. This means less pain after surgery. It also means faster healing. You do not need a big bandage or a long hospital stay.

What were the results?

According to this study, the results were very encouraging. The doctors measured three main things before and after surgery. They wanted to know about pain, thumb movement, and daily function.

How much did pain improve?

The doctors used something called the visual analog scale or VAS. This is a simple way to measure pain. You rate your pain from 0 to 10. Zero means no pain at all. Ten means the worst pain you can imagine.

Before surgery, people rated their pain at 8.8 out of 10. That is very high. After surgery, their pain dropped to 1.2 out of 10. That is a huge improvement. Most people had very little pain left.

How much did thumb movement improve?

The doctors used the Kapandji score to measure thumb movement. This test checks how well you can touch your thumb to different parts of your hand. The score goes from 0 to 10. A higher score means better movement.

Before surgery, the average score was 3.6. That means people could barely move their thumbs. After surgery, the average score jumped to 9. That means people could move their thumbs almost normally again.

How much did daily function improve?

The doctors used a questionnaire called DASH. That stands for Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand. It asks about everyday tasks. Things like writing, cooking, or dressing yourself. The score can go from 0 to 100. A lower score means better function.

Before surgery, the average score was 33.3. That means people had trouble with many daily tasks. After surgery, the score dropped to 4.7. That means people could do almost everything normally again.

You may be wondering how long these results lasted. The study followed people for an average of 21 months. That is almost two years. Some people were followed for as long as 36 months. That is three years. The good results stayed strong the whole time.

Summary of results in a table

Why is this technique special?

Studies indicate that this technique has several benefits. First, it is minimally invasive. That means it causes less damage to your tissues. You have smaller scars. You feel less pain after surgery. You recover faster.

Second, it is reproducible. That means other doctors can learn to do it the same way. The steps are clear. The tools are available. This helps more people get the same good results.

Third, it works well for stages 2 and 3 of rhizarthrosis. These are the most common stages. Many people fall into this range. So this surgery can help a lot of people.

About this site

We created this site to help you understand medical research about thumb pain and rhizarthrosis. We only use information from published scientific articles. We read the studies carefully. Then we explain them in simple language. You do not need to be a doctor to understand. We want you to feel informed and confident. Feel free to explore more articles on our site. Each one breaks down a different study about thumb arthritis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this surgery right for everyone with thumb pain?

No. This study only looked at people with stages 2 to 3 rhizarthrosis. That means medium level arthritis. If your arthritis is very mild or very severe, a different treatment might be better. Your doctor will help you decide.

How long does it take to recover from this surgery?

The study does not give exact recovery times. But because the surgery uses very small cuts, most people recover faster than with older surgeries. You will likely need physical therapy and rest for several weeks.

Will my thumb feel completely normal after surgery?

According to this study, most people had much less pain and much better movement. Their scores were close to normal. But everyone heals differently. Your doctor can tell you what to expect based on your own situation.

Can the arthritis come back after surgery?

The study followed people for up to 36 months. During that time, the good results stayed strong. But the study does not tell us what happens after three years. Your doctor can discuss long term results with you.

Conclusion

Thumb arthritis can make life very difficult. Simple tasks become painful. Rest and medicine help many people. But sometimes they are not enough.

This study shows that arthroscopic hemitrapezectomy with suspension is a good option for medium level thumb arthritis. It uses a tiny camera and small tools. It causes less damage than older surgeries. People in the study had much less pain. Their thumb movement improved greatly. They could use their hands for daily tasks again. The good results lasted for at least three years.

If you have thumb pain that does not get better, talk to your doctor. Ask if this type of surgery might help you. Every person is different. Your doctor can look at your joint and help you choose the best treatment.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. It does not replace a visit to your doctor. Always talk to a healthcare professional about your own symptoms and treatment options. Only a doctor who examines you can tell you what is best for your situation.

Article Citation

Jorquera, R., Orellana, P., Melibosky, F., Paz, E., Liendo, R., & Azócar, C. (2022). Arthroscopic Hemitrapezectomy and Suspension with Mini TightRope for the Treatment of Rhizarthrosis: Outcome in patients in stages Eaton-Littler 2 to 3. Revista Iberoamericana de Cirugía de la Mano.

https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-1743512