Conservative and surgical treatment of wrist osteoarthritis: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction

Wrist osteoarthritis leads to pain and functional impairment. Despite conservative treatment options, surgery remains a central therapeutic component. In Germany, the number of patients rose from over 472,000 cases in 2018 to more than 580,000 in 2024. This review examines the most common surgical treatment approaches, focusing on Proximal Row Carpectomy (PRC) and Four-Corner Fusion (4CF), discussing indications, contraindications and potential complications.

Methods

A systematic and narrative literature review was conducted on treatment options for wrist osteoarthritis. The systematic review focusing on PRC and 4CF followed PRISMA guidelines and included searches in PubMed, Cochrane and Embase. Included were RCTs, systematic reviews and meta-analyses from January 2010 to May 2025 that compared both procedures in terms of pain, range of motion, grip strength, function, complication rates and reoperation rates.

Results

Eight studies were included. Both procedures significantly reduced pain and improved function. PRC showed advantages in range of motion and lower complication rates, while 4CF was associated with higher grip strength. Partial arthrodesis (e.g., scaphotrapeziotrapezoid (STT) arthrodesis or radioscapholunate (RSL)) arthrodesis may be selectively used but are linked to higher nonunion rates. Total wrist arthrodesis or wrist arthroplasty may be considered in case of contraindications and individual situations.

Conclusion

PRC and 4CF are established motion-preserving procedures for wrist osteoarthritis, providing reliable pain relief and functional improvement, with current evidence favoring PRC in terms of range of motion and complication profile. Given the absence of high-quality comparative trials, procedure selection should be individualized, balancing disease severity, carpal stability requirements, and patient-specific functional demands.