Design considerations for a wrist implant

Rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritides commonly affect the wrist leading to pain, deformity and a reduced quality of life for the patient. Joint arthroplasty is an attractive solution for improving function while relieving pain, but unfortunately, current designs of wrist arthroplasties have not met with great success. This review paper describes the anatomy and biomechanics of the normal wrist, and reviews the current and past designs of artificial wrist joints. The design considerations for a successful wrist implant are discussed, and it is concluded that future generations of wrist implants should not attempt to recreate the natural wrist, but permit a limited functional range of motion. Different materials and methods of fixation of artificial wrist joints should also be considered to improve implant durability.