Pennsylvania man becomes one of the first patients to get new implant for arthritis

A new kind of joint replacement is now available for people who have a certain kind of arthritis in the hand.

Arthritis is a very common problem for people as they age, and until now, treatment options have been limited.

Four months after having a new kind of joint replacement surgery on his thumb, Randy Ferree said he's able to easily move his hand. 

"The surgery went very, very well," he said. "I didn't really have a lot of pain with it."

Ferree, a retired engineer from Phoenixville, is among the millions of people with arthritis in the thumb joint.

"It just is a pain that keeps you from doing things because you can't grip, you can't lift," he said.

But not anymore — Ferree was one of the first patients to get a new implant with Dr. Richard Tosti at Rothman Orthopaedics.

"What's exciting about this implant is that I think it shows a new step towards innovation and hand surgery catching up with total hip and total knee surgery," Tosti said.

Tosti's images before the surgery show bone-on-bone in the thumb joint, and the lack of cartilage tissue causes the pain. After surgery, the implant provides a cushion.

Ferree said he had arthritis in both hands. Years ago, he had the traditional surgery on his right hand, where bone is removed.

Tosti said with the implant, patients have a quicker, easier recovery with improved strength and mobility.

"Very, very happily impressed," Ferree said.

Now for the first time in a long time, he's pain-free.

The implant that was developed in Europe, where Tosti trained. It was FDA cleared in July.