Arthrodesis of the Distal Interphalangeal (DIP) Joint of the Right Ring Finger for Arthritis
Lasya P. Rangavajjula, BS1; Amir R. Kachooei, MD, PhD2; Asif M. Ilyas, MD, MBA, FACS1,2
1Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University
2Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University
Osteoarthritis commonly impacts the finger distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints. The prevalence of DIP joint arthritis is high, with more than 60% of individuals older than 60 having DIP joint arthritis.
Operative treatment for arthritis of the DIP joint is indicated for pain, deformity, dysfunction, and instability in patients who are recalcitrant to conservative measures. Arthrodesis, or the fusion, of the DIP joint is a widely accepted surgical treatment for DIP joint arthritis.
Several surgical techniques have been historically described, with headless compression screw (HCS) fixation being a particularly common technique because of its advantages, including reliable compression, rigid fixation, lack of prominence, and no need for removal. This video demonstrates arthrodesis using HCS for arthritis in the right ring finger DIP joint.