JBJS welcomes reader comments on published articles. Letters to the Editor are reviewed by JBJS editors but are not peer-reviewed. To submit your letter, please follow the "submit a response" link that appears in the content box at the upper right of the full text of the article.

Letters to the Editor to:

Scientific Articles:
Samir Sodha, David Ring, David Zurakowski, and Jesse B. Jupiter
Prevalence of Osteoarthrosis of the Trapeziometacarpal Joint
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2005; 87: 2614-2618 [Abstract] [Full text] [PDF]
*Letters to the Editor: Submit a response to this article

Electronic letters published:

[Read Letter to the Editor] Dr. Ring responds to Dr. Field
David Ring, M.D.   (16 February 2006)
[Read Letter to the Editor] RE: "Prevalence of Osteoarthrosis of the Trapeziometacarpal Joint"
Jeremy Field, BSc, MB,BS, ChM, FRCS(Edin), FRCS(Eng), FRCS(Orth)   (14 February 2006)

Dr. Ring responds to Dr. Field 16 February 2006
Previous Letter to the Editor Top
David Ring, M.D.,
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Send letter to journal:
Re: Dr. Ring responds to Dr. Field

dring{at}partners.org David Ring, M.D.

Surgeons frequently classify things with non-absolutes such as "nearly normal" in clinical practice. We found that this classification was reliable. We couldn't claim to be more accurate than a three grade system when we were using radiographs of the wrist.

Radiographs of the wrist taken for distal radius fracture were available, convenient, practical, and representative of the general population.
RE: "Prevalence of Osteoarthrosis of the Trapeziometacarpal Joint" 14 February 2006
Next Letter to the Editor Top
Jeremy Field, BSc, MB,BS, ChM, FRCS(Edin), FRCS(Eng), FRCS(Orth),
Consultant Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon
The Cotswold Nuffield Hospital, Cheltenham, Glos, GL51 6QA, UK

Send letter to journal:
Re: RE: "Prevalence of Osteoarthrosis of the Trapeziometacarpal Joint"

jeremy.field{at}expertsearch.co.uk Jeremy Field, BSc, MB,BS, ChM, FRCS(Edin), FRCS(Eng), FRCS(Orth)

To The Editor:

I find this article confusing because of the arbitrary designation of a "Grade I" that allows an interpretation of "nearly" or "no arthrosis". Such a vague category allows an interpretation that 75 patients had arthritis despite the fact they were between the ages of 0 and 10! I also find it remarkable that such a centre of excellence should be attempting to grade the presence of osteoarthrosis of a trapeziometacarpal joint by using X-rays of the distal radius.