Groundbreaking thumb and wrist surgery at Mediclinic Worcester

An orthopaedic surgeon at Mediclinic Worcester has successfully performed two advanced thumb and wrist procedures for the first time, making this surgery accessible to the local community.

Thanks to the expertise and innovation of orthopaedic surgeon Dr Peter O’Farrell and the Mediclinic Worcester team, patients in the local community now have access to revolutionary thumb joint replacement and wrist arthroscopy procedures that offer increased benefits.

“Although both procedures are available at Mediclinic hospitals in major centres, patients from the Worcester area previously had to drive long distances to have them done,” explains Dr O’Farrell. “Now they can come to us.”

Thumb joint replacement

The joint at the base of your thumb, called the trapeziometacarpal joint (TMC), connects the wrist's trapezium bone to the thumb's metacarpal bone. Dr O’Farrell explains that this joint is constantly in use, and activities like writing, typing, and manual labour can wear it out. He compares the need to replace the TMC to needing a hip replacement: just as wear and tear on your hip can require surgery, the same can happen with your thumb joint.

The thumb replacement procedure is designed for someone experiencing pain in the base of the thumb joint, and aimed at patients whose pain persists despite injections and other treatments.

“The procedure is unique because it gives you back your function,” says Dr O’Farrell. “All other operations result in you losing your pinch grip, so you can no longer grip something with your thumb and finger.” But the new thumb replacement restores your ability to do this.

Innovation in prosthetics

In the past, surgeons removed the entire thumb joint and used a tendon to fill the gap, which weakened the hand. But now, a new prosthesis called TOUCH enables doctors to replace the joint more effectively and with fewer complications. “You remove the old joint and insert the TOUCH, which works like a ball and socket joint,” explains Dr O’Farrell. “You place a small cup on one side and a stem on the other, connecting them to create the joint.”

The procedure takes around 90 minutes and requires precision. “It's a very delicate operation, because you have to make sure the socket – the cup of the joint – is in the right position so you don't get a dislocation,” says Dr O’Farrell. “After the surgery, the patient’s thumb is usually a bit stiff, but they can start moving it again two weeks later and are nearly back to normal by six weeks.” This procedure is recommended for patients over 55 who have persistent thumb joint pain that affects how well they can use their thumb.

Wrist arthroscopy provides quicker healing

A wrist arthroscopy is keyhole surgery for wrist ligament or cartilage injuries. Doctors use an arthroscope (a tiny camera) and surgical tools to examine or repair the tissues inside or around the wrist. “Instead of having to cut and opening the whole wrist, you make two or three little holes, and do everything from inside,” Dr O’Farrell explains.

Arthroscopy is much less invasive than traditional open surgery, often leading to better outcomes and enabling patients to return to work more quickly. Previously, patients had to wait until their pain became severe and debilitating before undergoing surgery. Now, anyone experiencing wrist pain and joint inflammation can benefit from arthroscopy.

“We put a camera in the wrist, clean it up, cut away any broken pieces and see what the joint looks like. We can insert a plate, fix the bone, and reassess how the joint looks to make sure it's well aligned, and everything is back to where it should be.” In some cases, patients heal without stitches as the cuts are smaller than 5mm.

From writing to playing sports, both surgeries empower patients to regain full function of their wrist and thumb, allowing them to continue enjoying the activities that matter most to them.