Middlesex Orthopedic & Spine Associates, a Middletown-based orthopedic practice, has become the first in New England to offer thumb carpometacarpal joint replacement using the TOUCH CMC 1 prosthesis, providing patients with arthritis a new surgical option intended to reduce pain, restore function, and support faster recovery.

Dr. Jeffrey Chen, hand and upper extremity surgeon at MOSA, performed the region's first procedure on April 21st. Thumb CMC arthritis is one of the most common forms of hand osteoarthritis, affecting the base of the thumb and often leading to pain, weakness, and difficulty with everyday activities such as gripping objects.

The TOUCH CMC 1 prosthesis is a ball-and-socket total joint replacement designed to replace the damaged thumb joint with an implant intended to replicate natural thumb movement. Traditional surgery for this condition involves bone removal and can affect strength, endurance, and thumb length.

The first patient in New England to undergo the procedure was a Fall River, Massachusetts resident who had lived with arthritic hand pain that affected her daily life and her passion for art. After conservative treatments failed to provide long-term relief, her research led her to Dr. Chen at MOSA.

Dr. Jeffrey Chen, hand and upper extremity surgeon at MOSA, said, "This procedure marks an important advancement in how we treat thumb arthritis. Traditional surgery for this type of arthritis involves bone removal and can affect strength, endurance, and thumb length. This type of total joint replacement allows us to better restore the biomechanics of the thumb, helping patients regain natural function with a quicker recovery."

Founded in 2023 when Middlesex Orthopedic Surgeons and Orthopedic Associates of Middletown combined operations, MOSA is the largest orthopedic practice in Middlesex County.