A procedure in which a damaged joint that cannot be replaced is surgically fused. The remains of the joint are removed and the ends of the two bones fixed in place by screws or by a rod running through the bones until they have united. The advantages of arthrodesis are that it gives stability and excellent pain relief to severely damaged joints.

However, a disadvantage is that all movement is lost. The procedure is most useful for joints that are causing severe pain and where stability is more important than movement such as the distal interphalangeal joints and the proximal interphalangeal joint of the index finger.

Before proceeding with arthrodesis, the future implications need to be considered with regard to the individual patient’s functional needs, the demands that will be put on the joint, and the state of the surrounding joints. For example, arthrodesis of one disorganized wrist can improve grip strength considerably.

However, if both wrists were fused, personal hygiene would become very difficult. Although arthrodesis of the ankle leads to significant gait problems, it is still sometimes done for crippling pain because JOINT REPLACEMENT surgery at the ankle remains problematic.