Mark Ross, Susan Peters

Unilateral joint destruction in small joints of the hand presents a difficult challenge, particularly in younger patients. Many surgical techniques in an attempt to salvage motion whilst preserving the native joint following injury may be used and include: DIPJ to PIPJ transfer; hamate osteochondral graft; and, free vascularized toe joint transfer. Fusion and amputation are usually avoided as a surgical option. Nevertheless, there may be clinical circumstances where the joint cannot be salvaged with either normal fixation techniques or using these reconstructive techniques. Pyrocarbon hemiarthroplasty offers a viable alternative for the management of unilateral joint desctruction. Pyrocarbon has a number of material properties which may render it more suitable than metal for hemiarthroplasty. This study is investigating the clinical and radiological outcomes of an existing cohort of patients who have undergone surgery using a pyrocarbon hemiarthroplasty for the PIPJ using a retrospective study design.