If thumb pain has made it hard to grip a coffee cup or twist a key, you may be dealing with arthritis at the base of your thumb. The Touch CMC 1 Prosthesis is a newer surgical option designed to treat this exact problem.
At University Orthopaedic Associates, our hand and upper extremity team wants you to understand what this procedure involves before you decide if it’s right for you or a loved one.
What Is the Touch CMC 1 Prosthesis?
If you’re dealing with thumb arthritis, you’ve probably heard your surgeon mention joint replacement as an option. The Touch CMC 1 Prosthesis treats arthritis in the first carpometacarpal (CMC) joint, the spot where your thumb meets your wrist.
Most older procedures remove the trapezium, a small wrist bone, but the KeriMedical Touch CMC 1 prosthesis takes a different approach. It replaces the worn joint surfaces, but leaves the trapezium (a bone) intact.
This implant is also called the Touch CMC 1 dual mobility trapeziometacarpal prosthesis because it moves at two points instead of one. That extra articulation gives your thumb more room to move while keeping the joint stable and less likely to slip out of place.
The device itself comes in three pieces. A cup fits into your trapezium, a neck and liner connect everything together and a stem anchors into your thumb bone. These parts are not cemented in place. Instead, they’re coated so your own bone fuses to them over time. The FDA cleared this device in July 2025 for adults with moderate to advanced thumb arthritis.
How Is the Touch CMC 1 Prosthesis Procedure Performed?
Your surgeon begins with a thorough evaluation that includes a physical exam, X-rays and a review of your bone quality, since the trapezium needs to be strong enough to support the implant. Once you’re confirmed as a good fit, the procedure itself typically happens on an outpatient basis.
During surgery, your surgeon makes a small incision near the base of your thumb and carefully protects the nearby nerves. A small amount of bone is removed from your thumb’s metacarpal, and a similar amount is cleared from the trapezium to make room for the implant’s cup. Your surgeon uses imaging during the procedure to confirm the cup sits in the correct position, since this step is one of the most technically demanding parts of the surgery.
Once the trapezial cup and metacarpal stem are placed, your surgeon connects the components and moves your thumb through its range of motion to check stability and fit. Most patients wear a soft dressing for a week to ten days, followed by a brace worn at night for a couple more weeks, with gentle movement allowed early on.
Benefits of the Touch CMC 1 Prosthesis
One of the biggest advantages of this procedure is that it preserves your trapezium instead of removing it. This helps maintain your thumb’s natural length and alignment and keeps other treatment options open down the road if you ever need them.
Because the Touch CMC 1 prosthesis doesn’t require borrowing a tendon to stabilize the joint, as some traditional procedures do, you may experience less surgical trauma overall.
Published research also points to meaningful pain relief, with many patients reporting their pain dropping from moderate or severe levels to little or none within two years.
Pinch strength tends to improve as well, often increasing from roughly 4.5 kilograms before surgery to around 7 kilograms afterward, and many patients are able to begin gentle movement sooner than they would after a traditional trapeziectomy.
Who Is a Candidate for the Touch CMC 1 Prosthesis?
You may be a candidate if you have moderate to advanced thumb arthritis (what specialists call Eaton-Littler stage II or III) and your symptoms haven’t improved with nonsurgical care such as splinting, anti-inflammatory medication, hand therapy or corticosteroid injections.
Common signs include:
- Pain at the base of your thumb
- Weakness when gripping or pinching
- Trouble opening jars or buttoning clothes
- Visible swelling around the joint
Your surgeon will also need to confirm that your trapezium has enough healthy bone to support the implant, since conditions like severe osteoporosis or a very small trapezium can make this procedure less suitable. If you have significant arthritis in nearby wrist joints or an active infection, your surgeon may recommend a different approach instead.
Because every hand is different, the best way to know if you’re a good fit is to have an experienced specialist evaluate your symptoms, imaging and bone quality in person.
If thumb arthritis is affecting your daily life, the Hand & Upper Extremity Surgeons at UOA can help you figure out whether the Touch CMC 1 Prosthesis or another treatment option makes the most sense for you. Request an appointment today to take the first step toward relief.
