Miniature “Total Hip” – joint replacements to deliver less pain, better grip strength and faster recoveries for those suffering from severe thumb arthritis.
Lauren Protzer, MD, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon with Ortho Louisville Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. She specializes in hand and upper extremity surgery and recently expanded her advanced clinical expertise by traveling to Switzerland for the 2026 TOUCH® CMC Arthroplasty training. Attending this cutting-edge medical program highlights her dedication to adopting advanced, global surgical techniques for her patients at Ortho Louisville.
The program coincided with major innovations introduced at the FESSH 2026 Congress in Basel, Switzerland, where experts gathered to analyze the biomechanical factors necessary for long-term thumb joint reconstruction. Through rigorous hands-on training, Dr. Protzer mastered the precise surgical steps, press-fit mechanisms, and complication-management protocols for this dual-mobility, ball-and-socket implant. The training also provided a first-hand look at the latest evolutions in treating advanced thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis.
Dr. Protzer is excited to offer a highly advanced alternative to traditional thumb arthritis surgeries to her practice. Unlike standard procedures that often require bone removal or long recovery periods, the implant functions like a miniature total hip replacement for the thumb, preserving healthy tissue and restoring natural mechanics. Dr. Protzer’s training with this advanced medical technology ensures her patients benefit from significantly less post-operative pain, increased grip strength, and an accelerated return to daily activities.
Carpometacarpal (CMC) Arthroplasty
CMC arthroplasty is a surgery to fix severe thumb arthritis at the joint where your thumb meets your wrist. The main steps are removing a small wrist bone called the trapezium, using a piece of tendon or an implant to cushion the space, and stopping the painful bone rubbing.
Why It Is Done
- Thumb pain that makes it hard to grip, twist or pinch things.
- Failed treatments like braces, medicines or shots that no longer work.
- Worn-out cartilage causing bone to grind on bone.
How the Surgery Works
- Trapeziectomy: The surgeon takes out the arthritic trapezium bone.
- Cushioning/Stabilizing: The space is filled using a wrist tendon graft, tight ropes or a special joint implant.
- Outpatient care: Most patients go home on the exact same day.
Recovery Process
- Cast or splint: Your thumb stays protected in a cast or splint for about 4 to 6 weeks.
- Hand therapy: Gentle movement and exercises start after the cast comes off.
