FIRST IN RI: UOI Surgeon Joseph Gil, MD, Performs Thumb Joint Replacement with Newly Available TOUCH® CMC 1 Implant

Innovative procedure, similar to hip replacement, expands treatment options for patients with painful thumb arthritis

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI, UNITED STATES, August 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — University Orthopedics hand and upper extremity surgeon Joseph A. Gil, MD, has become the first surgeon in Rhode Island to perform a thumb joint replacement using the TOUCH^® CMC 1 prosthesis, a newly FDA-approved implant designed to relieve pain and restore function for patients with arthritis at the base of the thumb.

The procedure, performed at Rhode Island Hospital, is known as carpometacarpal (CMC) total joint arthroplasty. It replaces the arthritic joint at the base of the thumb with a small ball-and-socket implant. Similar in concept to a hip replacement—but designed specifically for the thumb—the prosthesis is designed to reduce pain and restore the strength and mobility patients need for everyday activities such as gripping, pinching, and opening jars.

“Thumb arthritis can make even the simplest daily activities like buttoning a shirt, turning a key, or gripping a coffee cup extremely painful,” said Dr. Gil. “With the goal of restoring function and reducing pain, this implant provides another treatment option for people living with thumb arthritis who want to get back to the activities they enjoy.”

The thumb CMC joint is one of the most common joints affected by osteoarthritis. As cartilage wears away, patients often experience pain, weakness, and loss of grip and pinch strength that can interfere with work, hobbies, and everyday tasks.

Until recently, surgical treatment for advanced thumb arthritis typically involved removing the arthritic trapezium bone and reconstructing the joint using nearby tendon tissue. The TOUCH^® CMC 1 prosthesis offers an alternative by replacing the joint with a dual-mobility implant designed to provide stability while maintaining natural thumb movement.

Developed by KeriMedical and distributed in the United States by Medartis Inc., the TOUCH^® CMC 1 prosthesis received FDA approval in 2025 after more than a decade of successful use in Europe. With that approval, patients in the Rhode Island area now have access to an innovative treatment option that, until recently, was available only overseas.

“Every patient is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for thumb arthritis,” Dr. Gil said. “Having access to this technology allows us to offer another evidence-based option for patients whose symptoms have not improved with conservative treatment.”

The Hand & Wrist Center at University Orthopedics offers comprehensive care for thumb arthritis, including splinting, medications, corticosteroid injections, hand therapy, and advanced surgical treatments when appropriate.

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About University Orthopedics
University Orthopedics (UOI, universityorthopedics.com), with clinic locations in Rhode Island (Cranston, Cumberland, East Greenwich, East Providence, Johnston, Providence, Middletown, North Providence, and Westerly) and Massachusetts (Mansfield, North Easton, Plymouth, and Raynham), is a regional center for orthopedics, sports medicine, and rehabilitation. UOI includes more than 70 board-certified orthopedic, fellowship-trained musculoskeletal, and sports medicine physicians. These specialists are faculty members of the Department of Orthopaedics at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, teaching medical students, orthopedic
residents, and fellowship sub-specialty surgeons.

About Brown University Health:
Brown University Health is a not-for-profit health system based in Providence, R.I., comprised of three teaching hospitals of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University: Rhode Island Hospital and its Hasbro Children’s Hospital; The Miriam Hospital; and Bradley Hospital, the nation’s first psychiatric hospital for children. The system also includes Newport Hospital, Saint Anne’s Hospital, and Morton Hospital, offering a broad range of health services; Gateway Healthcare, the state’s largest provider of community behavioral health care; Brown Health Medical Group, the largest multi-specialty practice in Rhode Island; and Brown Health Medical Group Primary Care, a primary care-driven medical practice. Brown University Health teaching hospitals are among the country’s top recipients of research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The hospitals received over $145 million in external research funding in fiscal 2023. All Brown University Health-affiliated partners are charitable organizations that depend on community support to provide programs and services.

About Medartis
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the Medartis Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and providers of medical devices for surgical fixation of bone fractures and joint replacement for upper and lower extremities as well as for the craniomaxillofacial region. The Group has manufacturing sites in the United States, Switzerland, Brazil and France. Medartis employs approx. 1,400 individuals across its 13 locations, with products offered in over 50 countries globally. Medartis is committed to providing surgeons and operating theatre personnel with the most innovative implants and instruments as well as best-in-class service. For more information, please visit medartis.com.

About Keri Medical
Founded in 2016, Keri Medical, a Medartis Group company, specializes in developing and marketing a comprehensive range of implants exclusively for hand & wrist surgery. The Keri Medical team possesses extensive experience in orthopaedic surgery with expertise across all operational areas: design, manufacturing, quality, marketing and product promotion. Keri Medical collaborates with a panel of surgeons who have recognized expertise in France and internationally. These specialists share their clinical and medical knowledge to support the development and validation of new solutions. The company is headquartered in Geneva, employs approx. 150 employees, and its products are available in 30 countries. For further information, please visit kerimedical.com.

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Peter Lucas
Practice Marketing & Communications
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