Wrist Arthroplasty (CPB 0853, reviewed 2026-02-25)
Historical (last reviewed 02/25/2026): Aetna considers total wrist arthroplasty medically necessary only for rheumatoid arthritis affecting the wrist, in persons with radiographic evidence of wrist joint destruction and demonstrated resistance or failure to conservative medical treatment of at least 3 months with NSAIDs, DMARDs, and/or glucocorticoids, as appropriate. Total wrist arthroplasty is considered experimental, investigational, or unproven for other diagnoses, including comminuted distal radius fracture, Kienbock's disease, osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, scaphoid non-union, and scapholunate dissociation. Wrist hemiarthroplasty, selective or complete wrist denervation, the Integra Freedom implant, the Prosthelast, the Universal 2 system, and the Motec and ReMotion prostheses for non-rheumatoid wrist arthritis are also considered experimental, investigational, or unproven.