Prosthetics

The wrist is a complex joint consisting of eight bones and lies between the lower forearm and the hand. In the United States there are about 2,000 wrist implants and 7,000 hand and finger implants each year. There have been studies that indicate these implants may have damaging effects since they use silicone materials to replace damaged bone. The silicone particles may travel to nearby tissues, causing an immune response that ultimately damages surrounding bone. Many patients require additional surgery as a result. Some physicians maintain that the implants can cause more damage to the healthy bone than the harm done by the disease itself. So far the FDA has not decided to investigate these implants.