TAMPA, Fla. — A Lakeland woman has become one of the first patients for a new type of hand surgery.
TOUCH CMC prosthesis surgery, which was first performed in Florida by Tampa General Hospital and the Florida Orthopaedic Institute, is designed to treat thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis.
What You Need To Know
Experts say that TOUCH CMC prosthesis surgery helps improve hand mobility and relieve pain
Tampa General Hospital and the Florida Orthopaedic Institute were the first in Florida to perform surgery
Lakeland resident Teresa Beckham, who was one of the first patients in the state to undergo the procedure, said she has been able to return to gardening and painting thanks to the surgery
“What sets this procedure apart is that it’s a new implant, it basically preserves the bone,” said Dr. Devin Collins, a surgeon with Tampa General Hospital and the Florida Orthopaedic Institute. “It allows us to allow patients to get their motion back a little bit quicker.”
After trying cortisone shots and a splint to alleviate her pain, Lakeland resident Teresa Beckham was one of the first patients in the state to have the surgery.
“My thumb area just was hurting. It felt like pins and needles,” said Beckham, who had to take a break from hobbies like gardening and painting because of the pain.
Doctors say the procedure is a groundbreaking option for patients like Beckham with moderate to severe thumb arthritis who have not found relief from non-surgical treatments.
The 66-year-old said she is pleased with the results.
“Now I’m back to my normal life,” Beckham said. “So, I’m very excited about that.”
Collins said quicker recovery time from the surgery means patients heal in weeks, compared to months for traditional treatments.
“We are going down and we’re removing the osteoarthritis from the joint and then we’re putting in a prosthetic replacement in order to allow it to have pain-free motion and smooth motion,” Collins said.