Rhode Island surgeon performs first thumb joint replacement with new TOUCH CMC 1 implant

University Orthopedics surgeon Joseph A. Gil, MD, performed the first thumb joint replacement in Rhode Island using the newly FDA-approved TOUCH CMC 1 prosthesis. The procedure gives patients with advanced thumb arthritis another option beyond traditional tendon-based reconstruction.

Why it matters: - Thumb arthritis can make basic tasks painful, including buttoning a shirt, turning a key and gripping a coffee cup. - The new implant adds a treatment option for patients whose symptoms do not improve with splints, medicine, injections or therapy. - The procedure aims to reduce pain and restore pinch strength, grip strength and mobility for daily use.

What happened: - Joseph A. Gil, MD, a hand and upper extremity surgeon at University Orthopedics, performed the first thumb joint replacement in Rhode Island with the TOUCH® CMC 1 prosthesis. - The surgery took place at Rhode Island Hospital. - The procedure was a carpometacarpal, or CMC, total joint arthroplasty. - The operation replaced the arthritic joint at the base of the thumb with a small ball-and-socket implant.

The details: - The TOUCH® CMC 1 prosthesis is a newly FDA-approved implant designed to relieve pain and restore function for arthritis at the base of the thumb. - The implant is a dual-mobility device designed to provide stability while preserving natural thumb movement. - The approach is similar in concept to hip replacement, but the device is built specifically for the thumb. - The implant replaces the joint rather than removing the trapezium bone and rebuilding the area with nearby tendon tissue, which has been the typical surgical approach for advanced cases. - The thumb CMC joint is one of the joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis. - As cartilage wears away, patients can lose grip and pinch strength and may struggle with work, hobbies and everyday tasks. - The TOUCH® CMC 1 prosthesis was developed by KeriMedical and distributed in the United States by Medartis Inc. - The device received FDA approval in 2025 after more than a decade of use in Europe. - Patients in the Rhode Island area now have access to a treatment option that had been available only overseas until recently. - Dr. Gil said the implant gives clinicians another evidence-based option for patients who have not improved with conservative treatment. - The Hand & Wrist Center at University Orthopedics offers splinting, medications, corticosteroid injections, hand therapy and advanced surgical treatment for thumb arthritis.

Between the lines: - The first Rhode Island use of the implant signals a broader shift toward motion-preserving joint replacement options for hand arthritis. - The FDA approval and U.S. rollout could expand access for patients who want alternatives to tendon reconstruction. - The procedure may appeal to patients looking for a surgical option that targets both pain relief and function.

What's next: - More patients with advanced thumb arthritis in Rhode Island may now be evaluated for the new implant. - University Orthopedics is likely to incorporate the device into its broader thumb arthritis treatment pathway when appropriate. - Demand will depend on patient selection, surgeon experience and how the implant performs in routine U.S. practice.

The bottom line: - Rhode Island patients with severe thumb arthritis now have a new surgical option that replaces the damaged joint instead of rebuilding it with tendon tissue.