What is wrist replacement?
When non-surgical treatments and medication don’t bring relief and restore mobility, your doctor may recommend wrist replacement. Wrist replacement is a surgery performed to replace the arthritic ends of bone and damaged cartilage with prosthetic implants designed to move like a natural, healthy wrist.
What happens during surgery?
During surgery, your surgeon inserts one component into the bone in the forearm (the radius) and a second component in the hand side of the wrist where the carpal bones have been prepared to accept the component. An artificial ball made of medical-grade plastic (polyethylene) assembles to the carpal component. These components work together to form the artificial wrist implant designed to replicate the wrist joint.
Even with surgical approaches to manage your wrist pain, you and your doctor have options. Depending on the condition of your wrist joint, your doctor may recommend wrist fusion or total wrist replacement.
VariAx 2 Wrist Fusion System
Indications: The Stryker VariAx 2 Wrist Fusion System is indicated for wrist arthrodesis and fixation of fractures in patients with wrist arthritis or fractures of other small bones of the carpus. Specific indications include: Post-traumatic arthritis of the joints of the wrist, Rheumatoid wrist deformities requiring restoration, Complex carpal instability, Post-septic arthritis of the wrist, Severe unremitting wrist pain related to motion, Brachial plexus nerve palsies, Tumor resection, Spastic deformities, Contra-Indications: The physician’s education, training and professional judgment must be relied upon to choose the most appropriate device and treatment.
For all warnings and precautions please refer to the appropriate labeling.
Conditions presenting an increased risk of failure include: Any active or suspected latent infection or marked local inflammation in or about the affected area, Compromised vascularity that would inhibit adequate blood supply to the fracture or the operative site, Bone stock compromised by disease, infection or prior implantation that can not provide adequate support and/or fixation of the devices, Material sensitivity, documented or suspected, Obesity. An overweight or obese patient can produce loads on the implant that can lead to failure of the fixation of the device or to failure of the device itself, Patients having inadequate tissue coverage over the operative site, Implant utilization that would interfere with anatomical structures or physiological performance, Any mental or neuromuscular disorder which would create an unacceptable risk of fixation failure or complications in postoperative care, Other medical or surgical conditions which would preclude the potential benefit of surgery
Source: VAX-ST-23
ReMotion Total Wrist System
Indications: The ReMotion Total Wrist System is intended for replacement of the painful wrist joint due to rheumatoid arthritis, osteo-arthritis, or post-traumatic arthritis.
Contraindications: Bone, musculature, tendons, or adjacent soft tissue compromised by disease, infection, or prior implantation, which cannot provide adequate support or fixation for the prosthesis.
Known sensitivity to materials used in this device. Skeletal Immaturity
Source: V15114
The information presented is for educational purposes only. Stryker is not dispensing medical advice. Please speak to your doctor to decide which type of surgery is right for you. Only your doctor can make the medical judgment which products and treatments are right for your own individual condition. As with any surgery, joint replacement surgery carries certain risks. Your surgeon will explain all the possible complications of the surgery, as well as side effects. Additionally, the lifetime of a joint replacement product is not infinite and varies with each individual. Also, each patient will experience a different post-operative activity level, depending on their own individual clinical factors. Your doctor will help counsel you about how to best maintain your activities in order to potentially prolong the lifetime of the device.
Stryker Corporation or its divisions or other corporate affiliated entities own, use or have applied for the following trademarks or service marks: ReMotion, Stryker, T2, Together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better, VariAx. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.
REM-AWI-1_Rev-1, 01-2019