Jonathan Tueting, MD, a shoulder, elbow and hand surgery specialist at Rush Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, performed the first carpometacarpal total joint arthroplasty in the U.S.
In the new procedure, a modular three-part device that has a cup, neck and stem is placed in the basal joint, according to a Nov. 17 news release from Rush.
The thumb joint is replaced with a stable ball and socket joint, preserving the natural anatomy, reducing thumb pain and restoring functional strength.
Previously, an alternative treatment option for thumb arthritis included a trapeziectomy to improve pain and function in the thumb.
More than 1 million individuals in the U.S. are diagnosed with thumb arthritis each year, the release said.
