A surgeon at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine has become the first hand surgeon in New Mexico and among only a handful of specialists in the United States to offer a new thumb joint replacement procedure designed to improve mobility and quality of life for patients suffering from thumb arthritis.

Nathan T. Morrell, Associate Professor of Orthopaedics and specialist in hand and upper extremity surgery at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, recently introduced the procedure, which uses an implant to replace the arthritic joint at the base of the thumb.

According to Morrell, the technology represents a significant advancement in the treatment of thumb arthritis, a condition commonly seen among aging adults and one that can substantially affect hand function and daily activities.