If your thumb hurts when you open a jar, turn a key, or hold a pen, you are not alone. Many people have rhizarthrosis, which is arthritis at the base of the thumb. When the pain is severe, surgery may help. This article looks at a study about a special thumb implant that helps you use your hands with less pain.
Key Findings at a Glance
- Research shows that 96% of the Touch® dual-mobility thumb implants were still working well two years after surgery.
- According to this study, patients reported major improvements in hand function, pain relief, and thumb movement.
- Only 4.5% of patients needed a second surgery to adjust the implant.
- Studies indicate that this implant corrects thumb length and prevents the thumb from bending too far backward.
- Medical evidence suggests this type of implant may be more stable over time than older single-mobility designs.
This article shares what doctors learned from 88 thumb surgeries done over four years. The findings offer hope for people living with painful thumb arthritis.
In this article:
- What Is TMC Arthritis and Why Does It Hurt?
- What Is a Dual-Mobility Prosthesis?
- What Did the Study Show?
- How Did Patients Improve After Surgery?
- Were There Any Complications?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Important Disclaimer
- Scientific Source
What Is TMC Arthritis and Why Does It Hurt?
The base of your thumb has a joint called the trapeziometacarpal joint, the base joint of the thumb (the trapeziometacarpal joint). Doctors often call it the TMC joint or the CMC joint. This joint lets your thumb move in many directions. It helps you pinch, grip, and twist.
When TMC arthritis gets very bad, simple tasks become hard. You may feel pain when you try to open a door or hold a phone. Some people notice their thumb looks different or sticks out at an odd angle.
You may be wondering why this matters. When nonsurgical treatments like splints and medicine stop working, surgery can bring relief.
What Is a Dual-Mobility Prosthesis?
A prosthesis is an artificial part that replaces a damaged joint. Think of it like a new hinge for your thumb. The Touch® dual-mobility prosthesis is a special type of thumb implant.
Here is where it gets interesting. The word dual-mobility means the implant has two parts that move. This design helps the thumb move smoothly while staying stable. Older implants only had one moving part. Research shows that dual-mobility implants may be less likely to pop out of place or loosen over time.
Doctors place the implant at the base of the thumb where the damaged joint used to be. The new joint lets your thumb move again without grinding bone on bone.
What Did the Study Show?
This study followed 78 patients who received a total of 88 thumb implants. One surgeon did all the surgeries between August 2019 and December 2023. The patients came back for checkups at six weeks, six months, one year, and then once each year.
According to this study, doctors measured several things:
- How much the thumb could move
- How strong the grip and pinch were
- How much pain the person felt on a scale from 1 to 10
- How well the hand worked in daily life using special questionnaires
- Whether the implant stayed in place on X-rays
Let us look closer. The average follow-up time was 24 months. That means two years. Some patients were followed for as short as six months and others for as long as 61 months, which is over five years.
How Did Patients Improve After Surgery?
Research shows that patients saw big improvements in hand function, pain, and thumb movement. Many people had thumbs that bent too far backward before surgery. Doctors call this hyperextension (the thumb bending backward too far). In 23 thumbs, the middle joint of the thumb bent backward more than 15 degrees.
After surgery, this backward bending was corrected to an average of only 6 degrees. That means the thumb sat in a more normal position. The implant also restored thumb length. When the joint wears away, the thumb can look shorter. The new implant brought the thumb back to its proper length.
Studies indicate that these changes help people use their hands better. They could grip and pinch with more strength. They felt less pain. They could do everyday tasks that had been painful or impossible before.
Were There Any Complications?
No surgery is perfect. This study was honest about problems that happened. Four patients, which is 4.5% of the group, needed a second surgery to fix the implant. Two of these were because the cup part of the implant was not placed exactly right during the first surgery. It moved out of place later. The other two were because the implant rubbed against nearby tissue, causing pain. Doctors call this impingement.
Seven other patients needed smaller surgeries. Two had trouble with wound healing. Five developed a painful condition called De Quervain tenosynovitis (swelling of the tendons on the thumb side of the wrist). This can happen after hand surgery.
According to medical evidence, the overall prosthesis survival rate was 96% at two years. That means 96 out of every 100 implants were still in place and working well two years after surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the Touch® dual-mobility implant last?
According to this study, 96% of the implants were still working well two years after surgery. Some patients were followed for more than five years. The findings suggest the implant is stable over time, but longer studies are needed to know how long it lasts.
Will I be able to use my hand normally after this surgery?
Research shows that patients had significant improvements in hand function, grip strength, pinch strength, and pain relief after receiving the Touch® implant. Many people were able to return to daily activities that had been painful before surgery.
What are the chances I will need another surgery?
Studies indicate that 4.5% of patients in this study needed a second surgery to adjust or fix the implant. Another 8% needed smaller procedures for wound healing or tendon problems. Most patients did not need any additional surgery.
How is dual-mobility different from older thumb implants?
Medical evidence suggests that dual-mobility designs have two moving parts, which may make them more stable than older single-mobility implants. This may reduce the chance of the implant popping out of place or loosening over time.
Conclusion
If you have severe thumb arthritis and other treatments have not helped, the Touch® dual-mobility prosthesis may be an option worth discussing with your doctor. This study shows that it can reduce pain, improve hand function, and restore thumb stability. The revision rate is low, and most patients were happy with their results two years after surgery.
Every person is different. Your doctor can help you decide if this surgery is right for you. Do not suffer in silence. Ask questions. Explore your options. There is hope for better days ahead.
About This Site
This website simplifies medical science for people with thumb pain and rhizarthrosis. We use only published scientific articles to give you accurate, easy to understand information. We invite you to explore more content and learn about the latest research on thumb arthritis treatments.
Important Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. Only a medical professional who knows your full medical history can give you personalized advice.
Scientific Source
This article is based on research published by Frey, Pia-Elena; Daeschler, Simeon C.; Naseri, Yusuf; Franzen, Maximilian; Sommer, Jan; Harhaus, Leila; Panzram, Benjamin in Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery (2025).