For 70-year-old Mariann, a Howell Township resident, thumb arthritis had been quietly limiting her daily life. This July, she became one of the first patients in New Jersey to get a different option: the TOUCH CMC 1 Prosthesis, a next-generation thumb joint replacement, at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
“I could not be happier,” Mariann said. “In just 10 days, I was able to return to work and normal daily life. Dr. (Christopher) Doumas and the nursing staff were wonderful. I’m grateful I was able to receive this advanced procedure close to home.”
JSUMC is the first hospital in New Jersey to offer the device, giving patients with debilitating thumb arthritis a new surgical option. Hand and wrist surgeon Christopher Doumas led the surgical team that performed the hospital’s first procedure using the prosthesis.
The TOUCH CMC 1 is a cementless, dual-mobility total joint replacement for the carpometacarpal joint at the base of the thumb — a joint essential to grip and pinch strength that can deteriorate painfully due to osteoarthritis. It’s designed specifically for patients with symptomatic Eaton-Littler stage II or III osteoarthritis who haven’t found relief through more conservative treatment.
Doumas, the hand and wrist surgeon who led the procedure, said the technology marks a meaningful shift from the approach he’s relied on for two decades.
“I have been providing my patients with a surgical technique for 20 years that is very effective in treating CMC osteoarthritis,” he said. “However, this new technology is a gamechanger, providing significantly shortened rehabilitation time, immediate use of the hand and no real need for immobilization. I’d select this type of approach for myself, so I’m now providing it for my patients.”
Unlike traditional surgical options, which may involve removing the trapezium bone entirely, the TOUCH CMC 1 preserves more of the patient’s natural anatomy. That can lead to greater stability and more natural thumb movement, along with reduced pain, improved grip strength and a wider range of motion.
Dr. Marc Levine, chair of orthopedic surgery at JSUMC and Hackensack Meridian Health’s Southern Region, said the milestone reflects the health system’s broader approach to care.
“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Doumas and the orthopedic surgical team for bringing this state-of-the-art technology to the community JSUMC serves,” he said. “This achievement reflects our commitment to providing the most advanced and compassionate care. For individuals whose daily lives are impacted by the pain and limitations of thumb arthritis, this new prosthesis offers a promising path back to the activities they love. We are thrilled to be at the forefront of this advancement and look forward to helping many more patients in the future.”
The TOUCH CMC 1 Prosthesis received FDA approval in July 2025.
