Degenerative Arthritis and Pseudarthrosis

Innovative and modern approaches to treat degenerative arthritis in our hand surgical center in Munich

Degenerative Arthritis results in loss of cartilage, which functions as a buffer in the articulations between two bones. After the loss of the cartilage, bones rub against each other during each movement, which lead to the following symptoms:

• Pain with every movement and later also without movement
• Swelling of joints and inflammation (redness)
• Rigidity of joints, stiffness and loss of function

In the course of degenerative arthritis, bone damage and loss of function always result in different degrees of severity. We have years of experience in treating degenerative arthritis of the wrist and finger joints and our aim is to help our patients lead a pain-free life.

We offer the whole spectrum of possible treatments, starting with conservative therapies such as casts and anti-inflammatory drugs.  More progressed degenerative arthritis can be treated surgically with new medical tools to regenerate cartilage by cell therapies, reduce pain by selective denervation operations or even replace irreversibly damaged joints by joint prosthetic implantations or even joints fusions.

Professional and modern treatment of fracture non-unions – innovative medicine for your personal benefit

A non-union fracture in medicine is also called pseudarthrosis and defines a fracture with no tendency to heal. In hand surgery the scaphoid, the prominent carpal bone, is very often affected. But there are many other fractures, which can result in pseudarthrosis, caused by different reasons.

Typical symptoms are:

• Ongoing pain after a trauma to the wrist
• Permanent loss of movement and strength

If a pseudarthrosis occurs but is not treated adequately, massive degenerative arthritis of the wrist joint results and leads very often to complete loss of wrist function. A further consequence is adjacent joint damage due to false movements and joint imbalances, which create further damage. In order to break this vicious circle, an early diagnosis and a correct and focus-oriented therapy are of utmost importance.

We are experts in the treatment of pseudarthrosis of the scaphoid and offer well-established therapy options as well as highly new and innovative therapies. Treatment is possible with a small bone graft from the hip or in severe cases with a free vascularized femoral bone graft. In these cases the vital bone graft will be anastomosed microsurgically to the radial artery and a nearby vein to enable blood supply without compromising the blood flow to the hand.

We will gladly inform you personally of all therapy options available during our consultation hours.