Thumb Joint Replacement Advice

I posted this in "Health" and have no responses so thought I would try here:

A small town dr from Lewiston ID has told me I need my thumb joint replaced after many different tests..I'm skeptical as to how many of these he could've done in this small populated area????? Seemed professional in our consultation but my husband wants me to go to Spokane where there is a surgeon who specializes in hand surgery only..have any of you had this procedure????? any thoughts or experience you have in this area will be appreciated very much..Deb

I have no experience in this this, but am very interested in what you find out.

Deb, I have never heard of a thumb joint replacement. I would see a hand specialist for sure. Here is a link for hand university. http://handuniversity.com/topics.asp?Topic_ID=39

Thank you Elsie....I have looked at the websites which deal in this particular area but have not found any discussion from people who have had it actually done. Deb

Deb, I'm sorry I should have realized that's what you were looking for. Do these help at all?

http://ww2.arthritis.org/communitiesnew/Forum/replymsg.aspx?msgid=24212&status=none&msggroupid=1005&view=yes

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/20407088.cfm

Is he going to perform the proceedure or will he have a specialist come in?

Elsie, thank you so much....I found the discussion forums and have been reading them.....they date back to 2004, just haven't had the chance to read thru them completely. Dr. Boyea with the Lewiston Orthopedic Assoc. was the dr I saw and is who would do the procedure in Lewiston. My first decision is to have my local dr refer me to the hand specialist in Spokane. I was trying to locate someone within our DG family to talk with who may have experience with this procedure. Thank you all for your help....Deb

Keep us posted on how it goes. Good luck!

Kwanjin

Haven't had a joint replacement, but hand surgery about 4 years ago for a torn tendon in my right hand. They fused the thumb joint, as the damage was extensive, but it is inconvenient, as I have a stiff thumb, however it did get rid of the pain. I would be interested to know how this all plays out, as I would give anything to have a working thumb on the right hand again..

Tonight my husband spoke with friends of our's from CA (a brother & sister who both have severe arthiritis, brother has had both knees replaced) and they were saying that their dr's have advised them to have their thumb joints replaced. The brother said his dr told him he would lose the strength in his thumb from the surgery so he declined, just trying to live with the pain. The sister is following her brother's lead and just trying to live with it too. Today I'm going to get in touch with the specialist in WA and see about an appt with him for a second opinion. I'm dropping things and it is getting increasingly difficult to do anything with my left hand due to the pain especially steer my vehicle. That seems to be the very worst and isn't it odd, I'm right handed, have arthiritis in both hands but the left has worn out the quickest? I have colitis therefore I'm not supposed to use any of the NSAID meds but the pain gets to the point where I just have to and darn the consequences. Thank you again for being there with all your suggestions and your own experiences. I will let you know what I learn...Deb

I think with any major surgery recommended, you should always get a second opinion. I haven't had that particular surgery but I've had two surgeries to move my ulnar nerves this year. I realize now I should have shopped around a bit. Though the surgeon is a very good surgeon, he's not good with empathy. It's all very routine to him and his office and they really lacked the empathy and pro-active communication that is needed. So while I agree that the surgery had to happen (the myelin sheath on my nerve was being eroded where it was), I might have gone with a different surgeon had I shopped around.

Ask your surgeon/s what the success rates are for the surgery. Ask them the best and worst case scenarios. Ask them the range of recovery times, what you can do to prepare, what you should be prepared for long-term, etc.

Remember that it is your body. You only have one. Remember that you are a consumer and that you are paying them to do a job. It's not easy not to be intimidated by doctors, but remind yourself not to be. Try to research this decision as thoroughly as you would research buying a home or a car.

Spidra, you just voiced exactly how I felt about this dr. I did ask about the failure rate and he just brushed it aside like it shouldn't really be a consideration. Yes, I will get as much input and do as much research as I can before I make a decision. When I had bilateral mastectomies I chose not to have reconstruction just because I did not want to deal farther down the road with replacing them or the problems that come with having something foreign in your body so thinking of a "mechanical" joint put in me is giving me alot of anxiety. Another thing that is a concern to me is I've already went thru physical therapy on both hands here in Orofino & was not really impressed with the facilities in this little podunk town. When I lived in CA I went thru PT in Sacramento where we moved from two years ago and knew I was in the hands of professionals who knew what they were doing and had a passion for positive results while I didn't see that attention here at all. Got a lot of listening & thinking to do.....Deb

While I realize that most Drs. are good at what they do, I'm concerned with the statement you made about him brushing your concerns aside like they didn't matter. I hope you set him straight! Everyone's concerns and fears should be met with compassion. I'm not inpressed either and I've never been there. I'm glad you're taking the time to do the reseach needed and to think things through first.

My brother has to have a hip replacement and he's been doing his research, too and has found the best person around to do this. He lost a foot when he was 13 and has been wearing a prosthetic limb since then and he is now 56. The hip replacement is for the opposite leg because he's been bearing most of his weigh on that side.