ATLANTA – Georgians and those living in the Southeast now have access to a new surgical option for advanced thumb arthritis through Emory Healthcare, the first health system in the region to offer total thumb arthroplasty.
Thumb arthritis is the second most common site of arthritis in the hand, according to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. The condition typically affects women over age 40 more frequently than men.
Until recently, the standard surgical treatment required patients to wear a splint for up to six weeks and complete up to six months of physical therapy before regaining meaningful hand function. Total thumb arthroplasty offers a significant alternative, replacing the damaged joint with a miniature ball-and-socket implant similar in design to a hip replacement, but built for the thumb.
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Patients treated with a new procedure for advanced thumb arthritis are shaking hands again at two weeks post-surgery, a milestone that used to take six months to a year.
Illustration by M. Crespi for Eric Wagner, MD
Eric Wagner, MD, director of hand and upper extremity surgery at Emory Healthcare
Eric Wagner, MD, director of hand and upper extremity surgery at Emory Healthcare and associate professor of orthopaedics at Emory University School of Medicine, introduced the procedure at Emory. The health system was the third in the United States to adopt the new procedure.
“Bringing this treatment to our patients is something we have been very excited about,” says Wagner. “It is a truly revolutionary advancement that is going to become the standard of care and totally change what people can do with their hands.”
Recovery under the new procedure is significantly faster. Most patients are out of a soft dressing within 10 to 14 days and return to nearly all normal activities within six to eight weeks. Wagner notes that many patients are able to shake his hand at two weeks post-surgery, a milestone that would typically take six months to a year to reach with the previous procedure.
“Bringing this treatment to our patients is something we have been very excited about,” says Wagner. “It is a truly revolutionary advancement that is going to become the standard of care and totally change what people can do with their hands.”
Recovery under the new procedure is significantly faster. Most patients are out of a soft dressing within 10 to 14 days and return to nearly all normal activities within six to eight weeks. Wagner notes that many patients are able to shake his hand at two weeks post-surgery, a milestone that would typically take six months to a year to reach with the previous procedure.
“The recovery time is remarkably shorter,” says Wagner. “We now have an option that rivals hip and knee replacements and provides a real solution for patients who want to stay active.”
The procedure is indicated for patients with advanced thumb arthritis and has been performed in Europe for nearly a decade with promising medium-term results. It received approval from the FDA in July 2025. As with any joint replacement, the risks include the possibility of dislocation or fracture, though these complications have not been common in early experience.
Patients who are active and want to return to activities such as gardening, golf, painting, or playing a musical instrument now have a promising new option.
Learn more about hand and upper extremity care at Emory Healthcare.
The procedure is indicated for patients with advanced thumb arthritis and has been performed in Europe for nearly a decade with promising medium-term results. It received approval from the FDA in July 2025. As with any joint replacement, the risks include the possibility of dislocation or fracture, though these complications have not been common in early experience.
Patients who are active and want to return to activities such as gardening, golf, painting, or playing a musical instrument now have a promising new option.
Learn more about hand and upper extremity care at Emory Healthcare.
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Emory Healthcare first in Georgia and the Southeast to offer total thumb arthroplasty for advanced thumb arthritis
Date: Jul 21, 2026
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