Thank you for this explanation! I’m an X-ray technologist so I’m very aware of the hand anatomy. I’m also suffering from bilateral thumb cmc arthritis and will be seeing an orthopaedic hand surgeon soon. It’s good to have some prior knowledge of what surgical options are available and their efficacies.
Thank you so much for making these videos. I had cmc reconstruction with tendon grafting from my wrist in Feb ‘21 (this year). I am having a lot of swelling and lack of movement issues but my surgeon just said “I didn’t touch those areas and it’s how it is now”. Real great. 🙄 “Those areas” being no bending where the pins were for 6 weeks and massive hard bump and swelling on the back side of the trapezium area as well as wrist pain on both inside and outside of my arm. My surgeon also said there’s no point to physiotherapy. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hi I have this exact condition on both hands/rist BUT also my wrist joints are stiff/fixed with my arthritis, some doctors put it down to repetitive strain injuries I’m 65 still working with my hands every day I’m on long term meds’ if I wasn’t active every day I seize up and I stretch my joints with dumbbells because when they shrink back together it hurts to much. Thanks for the information Chris from England 🏴
Hey bro. I am a guitar player of 30 years and my thumb joint on both hands but more my fret hand has been getting worse for years to the point I can barely get through a song. Did you end up getting the surgery? I'm curious if it helped and if you had the same issue. Im terrified to not be able to play at all but also heart broken at my current limitation. Any thoughts are appreciated.
@@mackjames09 I've been playing guitar for 40 years and am eventually facing surgery on my left (fretting) thumb. I too am terrified to not be able to play and heartbroken. I've just turned 50 and was looking forward to sunset years full of guitar. Not so sure anymore. I've been scouring the internet looking for a redemption story from a guitarist who benefited from CMC surgery. Best of luck on your journey.
@@BoomerBends I'm in the same boat. Bassist 40 years.. Fretting hand. I've had multiple surgeries, knees, shoulders over the years. Every time they open me up to fix one issue, they bring about another.. Arghhhhhh.
I had this surgery 5 months ago along with Carpaltunnel and medial carpal nerve release. My elbow seems fine although my palm is stuck in a cupped position and my basil joint is locked up not allowing opposition movement. Meaning I can bring my thumb to my index finger but only touching the side. The smaller things I try to pick up by pinching is tolerable but grasping a coffee cup over half full is still enough pain to put me to my knees.
No it wasn't really successful at all which is a rare issue. First surgery failed as my thumb collapsed. The second surgery allows me little thumb movement but any pressure against it is like a toothache on the basil joint. They also did a proximal row carpectomy and I have very little wrist movement. I'm no longer able to work but I'm able to live with tolerable pain for now at least.
Dear Doctor Mastella, I'm going to see two different doctors about performing the CMC surgery. I'm having trouble finding more than a few reviews of the Docs, I have K.Perm. ins. I'm scared of having major problems with my hand afterwards, because of a 'botched....job'. I need my hands....for my job, so reading about cases where people have '2' surgeries....really....scares the crap out of me....ha....ha.....Yikes!! Any Advice for questions I need to ask, or Red Flags to watch out for?? Thank You For Your Time! I also wish 'you' were my doc!!
I am 50 years old. I had my surgery on October 7th 2022. I am still out with shoulder issues and a almost completely numb upper arm, horrible shoulder pain. Do not know that issue yet. My thumb pad is in my palm. I'm so frustrated I need meds to calm my nerves, im not sleeping well. So much pain still in my thumb and swelling and stiff fingers. I'm so done with this!!! I don't know what to do because my doctor wants to put a cortisone shot in my shoulder. Don't know if I want that. 😔
I’ve been getting Cortizone shots in my shoulders and knees for years and I get them every four months. They’ve quit working so I just had my right shoulder done, I’m doing my right thumb oct 31, my left shoulder November 30 and my left thumb December 12. Supposedly. I’ve watched a lot of videos and now I’m scared to death. The injections I swear by they got me by for years I’m only doing these surgeries because they don’t work anymore and it’s impacting my quality of life.
@lacyreeves8304 I completely understand, I'm still having shoulder pain and numb upper arm still. My thumb is still not 100%. My doctor has to give me a disability rating due to the pain and weakness. It's not the end of the world, but definitely irritating since I was a jeweler of 32 years and that career is pretty much over 😢
I had thumb surgery 2 years ago. Cast was on for 1 month. Fingers didn't move much during that time. Physical therapy was a grind and took longer than usual to get full range of motion and grip back. I got duputrens disease immediately after. I can't lay hands flat. Pain in arthritis in thumb gone which was the goal. I'm scared to do other thumb
Tricia- My surgeon performed CMC Arthoplasty with a tendon transfer from my wrist/forearm area in Dec. 2021 on my right dominant hand. The recovery period has been long (now at 9 months). I still have some inflammation in the meat of my palm, swelling before any change in barometric pressure/rain, cannot open jars as the strength and dexterity is weak, all as I am still doing PT. Why I am responding to you is that in this last month, I now am seeing the appearance of many nodules(thick rope like cords swelling within my palm (Duputren's Contracture)post surgery trauma. My hand is no longer flexible to open or press my hand flat any longer as this tightening now forces my hand to cup and not open of support weight any longer. I cannot hold my body weight (during yoga) hold anything of weight. Did your surgeon also tell you that Duputrens is NOT related to the CMC surgery? I ask, how could it not be related? Has anyone else had this same experience? Thanks in advance for anyone's feedback
@@deborahlopiccolo4037Hi. I had a CMC arthroplasty in 2019 and even though I’m 3 1/2 years post op, I’m still not 100% “cured”. My thumb use is not bad, but I do have pain in the joint if overused. I had a artificial sling used and not a tendon during my repair. Anyway…yes I too have a few nodules developed on the palm of my hand, but mine are at the base of my 5th finger-not my thumb. Same thing for my friend. I thought these might be Dupuytren’s nodules but is there a relationship between the surgery and these nodules? Maybe the cortisone injections were a precursor?
I had the "anchovy" on both thumbs. Ten years out no pain or problems. Suggestion, be more aware of camera recording position. Your handling of the subject blocks SO MUCH of your presentation.
The doctor is very knowledgeable but the video was terrible! Since I do not know where these joints are he is talking about, if the video showed more of a view of where he was pointing to, that would be really helpful. I could not watch rest of it for the fact I could not see what he was saying..too bad as he was interesting.
His is an excellent video but probably only meant for surgery medical students. You'd need to know anatomy and some surgical teams. Some non-medical people can work with on-line images and dictionary searches to understand, but there are easier videos for you.
I’m a teaching tennis pro (well used to be) still tennis is my hobby, my passion, my social life, my everything! 6 years ago at 56 years old I had my first major surgery ever, a rotator cuff repair…6 months later, a knee replacement…8 months later a hip replacement….10 months later the other knee replaced….then the other hip…..then I dive for a ball one day and then Spinal Stenosis L4/L5 lamenectomy surgery. After all that I’m still working out, taking care of my body, eating healthy and run8ng and jumping playing tennis at 62. THEN apparently GOD wants to write another chapter in the Torah called Job II the sequel and messes with my THUMB. I can’t hit a tennis ball with screaming from the pain in my hand/wrist/THUMB anymore. I’m told now I need a CMC ARTHROPLASTY and that this surgery is WORSE than any of the previous surgeries as far as pain and recovery goes! I mean WTF? But I heard the Doctor in this video say there is a MODIFIED version of of the CMC ARTHROPLASTY. Has anyone had such…is it an easier fix than the full cmc arthroplasty??? I’m feeling like a peice of burnt toast, my skeleton system is crumbling fast and all at one time 😢
Thank you for this explanation! I’m an X-ray technologist so I’m very aware of the hand anatomy. I’m also suffering from bilateral thumb cmc arthritis and will be seeing an orthopaedic hand surgeon soon. It’s good to have some prior knowledge of what surgical options are available and their efficacies.
Ct tech here. Having the same problem bilaterally. Sucks
Thank you so much for making these videos. I had cmc reconstruction with tendon grafting from my wrist in Feb ‘21 (this year). I am having a lot of swelling and lack of movement issues but my surgeon just said “I didn’t touch those areas and it’s how it is now”. Real great. 🙄
“Those areas” being no bending where the pins were for 6 weeks and massive hard bump and swelling on the back side of the trapezium area as well as wrist pain on both inside and outside of my arm.
My surgeon also said there’s no point to physiotherapy.
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you! I had this done and am due for my follow up. Now I know which questions to ask.
This is what's I'm going through its been 2 months and 2weeks the therapist said I was doing well and I still can't grab stuff fully yet.
I think I'll try going with a joint replacement.
Hi I have this exact condition on both hands/rist BUT also my wrist joints are stiff/fixed with my arthritis, some doctors put it down to repetitive strain injuries I’m 65 still working with my hands every day I’m on long term meds’ if I wasn’t active every day I seize up and I stretch my joints with dumbbells because when they shrink back together it hurts to much. Thanks for the information Chris from England 🏴
A hand looks easy to understand but lots of detail
Had cmc surgery 3 months ago and still have numbness in my thumb, index and middle fingers
what about mini tight rope?
Thank you sir. Well explained. I'm a guitar player and have been worried about having this done. This helped.
Hey bro. I am a guitar player of 30 years and my thumb joint on both hands but more my fret hand has been getting worse for years to the point I can barely get through a song. Did you end up getting the surgery? I'm curious if it helped and if you had the same issue. Im terrified to not be able to play at all but also heart broken at my current limitation. Any thoughts are appreciated.
Also I'm not exactly confident in the VA working on my hands 🤣
@@mackjames09 I've been playing guitar for 40 years and am eventually facing surgery on my left (fretting) thumb. I too am terrified to not be able to play and heartbroken. I've just turned 50 and was looking forward to sunset years full of guitar. Not so sure anymore. I've been scouring the internet looking for a redemption story from a guitarist who benefited from CMC surgery. Best of luck on your journey.
@@BoomerBends
I'm in the same boat.
Bassist 40 years.. Fretting hand.
I've had multiple surgeries, knees, shoulders over the years.
Every time they open me up to fix one issue, they bring about another..
Arghhhhhh.
I’m having the same issue with my left thumb… I’m considering surgery
As a hand surgeon I almost always perform arthroplasty, what do you think of prosthesis?
I think this is is what’s wrong with my LRTI. I’m having pain and clicking and popping sounds now. I think my wrist has gotten bad.
Do you suggest to have this op at stage 2 or stage 3?
Im seeing a hand surgeon soon but im interested in the mini tight rope procedure. And advive on this technique
Great info. .l
I had this surgery 5 months ago along with Carpaltunnel and medial carpal nerve release. My elbow seems fine although my palm is stuck in a cupped position and my basil joint is locked up not allowing opposition movement. Meaning I can bring my thumb to my index finger but only touching the side. The smaller things I try to pick up by pinching is tolerable but grasping a coffee cup over half full is still enough pain to put me to my knees.
I have carpal and stage 3 at the CMC joint. How long were you off of work?
@@workyourlittleintoplenty5107 average healing time is around 12 weeks. Personally I was a very small percentage that won't be able to work again.
@@fredjustice215 So your surgery was not 100% successful it sounds. I'm a Registered Nurse and hoping to be able to go back.
@@fredjustice215 The Hand Surgeon told me I need surgery, but that I should wait till I'm near retirement.
No it wasn't really successful at all which is a rare issue. First surgery failed as my thumb collapsed. The second surgery allows me little thumb movement but any pressure against it is like a toothache on the basil joint. They also did a proximal row carpectomy and I have very little wrist movement. I'm no longer able to work but I'm able to live with tolerable pain for now at least.
Dear Doctor Mastella, I'm going to see two different doctors about performing the CMC surgery. I'm having trouble finding more than a few reviews of the Docs, I have K.Perm. ins. I'm scared of having major problems with my hand afterwards, because of a 'botched....job'. I need my hands....for my job, so reading about cases where people have '2' surgeries....really....scares the crap out of me....ha....ha.....Yikes!! Any Advice for questions I need to ask, or Red Flags to watch out for?? Thank You For Your Time! I also wish 'you' were my doc!!
BERNADETTE MARTINEZ did you have the op?
@Bernadette Did you ever have the surgery? I need surgery and it scares me too - it’s my right hand and I’m nervous.
I am 50 years old. I had my surgery on October 7th 2022. I am still out with shoulder issues and a almost completely numb upper arm, horrible shoulder pain. Do not know that issue yet. My thumb pad is in my palm. I'm so frustrated I need meds to calm my nerves, im not sleeping well. So much pain still in my thumb and swelling and stiff fingers. I'm so done with this!!! I don't know what to do because my doctor wants to put a cortisone shot in my shoulder. Don't know if I want that. 😔
I’ve been getting Cortizone shots in my shoulders and knees for years and I get them every four months. They’ve quit working so I just had my right shoulder done, I’m doing my right thumb oct 31, my left shoulder November 30 and my left thumb December 12. Supposedly. I’ve watched a lot of videos and now I’m scared to death. The injections I swear by they got me by for years I’m only doing these surgeries because they don’t work anymore and it’s impacting my quality of life.
@lacyreeves8304 I completely understand, I'm still having shoulder pain and numb upper arm still. My thumb is still not 100%. My doctor has to give me a disability rating due to the pain and weakness. It's not the end of the world, but definitely irritating since I was a jeweler of 32 years and that career is pretty much over 😢
I had thumb surgery 2 years ago. Cast was on for 1 month. Fingers didn't move much during that time. Physical therapy was a grind and took longer than usual to get full range of motion and grip back. I got duputrens disease immediately after. I can't lay hands flat. Pain in arthritis in thumb gone which was the goal. I'm scared to do other thumb
Tricia- My surgeon performed CMC Arthoplasty with a tendon transfer from my wrist/forearm area in Dec. 2021 on my right dominant hand. The recovery period has been long (now at 9 months). I still have some inflammation in the meat of my palm, swelling before any change in barometric pressure/rain, cannot open jars as the strength and dexterity is weak, all as I am still doing PT. Why I am responding to you is that in this last month, I now am seeing the appearance of many nodules(thick rope like cords swelling within my palm (Duputren's Contracture)post surgery trauma. My hand is no longer flexible to open or press my hand flat any longer as this tightening now forces my hand to cup and not open of support weight any longer. I cannot hold my body weight (during yoga) hold anything of weight. Did your surgeon also tell you that Duputrens is NOT related to the CMC surgery? I ask, how could it not be related? Has anyone else had this same experience? Thanks in advance for anyone's feedback
@@deborahlopiccolo4037Hi. I had a CMC arthroplasty in 2019 and even though I’m 3 1/2 years post op, I’m still not 100% “cured”. My thumb use is not bad, but I do have pain in the joint if overused. I had a artificial sling used and not a tendon during my repair. Anyway…yes I too have a few nodules developed on the palm of my hand, but mine are at the base of my 5th finger-not my thumb. Same thing for my friend. I thought these might be Dupuytren’s nodules but is there a relationship between the surgery and these nodules? Maybe the cortisone injections were a precursor?
oh this video was so much valuable.
I had the "anchovy" on both thumbs. Ten years out no pain or problems. Suggestion, be more aware of camera recording position. Your handling of the subject blocks SO MUCH of your presentation.
copgloves nice! good stats! how about pinch grasp guitar playing?
Why does thumb lock
trigger thumb
The doctor is very knowledgeable but the video was terrible! Since I do not know where these joints are he is talking about, if the video showed more of a view of where he was pointing to, that would be really helpful. I could not watch rest of it for the fact I could not see what he was saying..too bad as he was interesting.
His is an excellent video but probably only meant for surgery medical students. You'd need to know anatomy and some surgical teams. Some non-medical people can work with on-line images and dictionary searches to understand, but there are easier videos for you.
I’m a teaching tennis pro (well used to be) still tennis is my hobby, my passion, my social life, my everything! 6 years ago at 56 years old I had my first major surgery ever, a rotator cuff repair…6 months later, a knee replacement…8 months later a hip replacement….10 months later the other knee replaced….then the other hip…..then I dive for a ball one day and then Spinal Stenosis L4/L5 lamenectomy surgery. After all that I’m still working out, taking care of my body, eating healthy and run8ng and jumping playing tennis at 62. THEN apparently GOD wants to write another chapter in the Torah called Job II the sequel and messes with my THUMB. I can’t hit a tennis ball with screaming from the pain in my hand/wrist/THUMB anymore. I’m told now I need a CMC ARTHROPLASTY and that this surgery is WORSE than any of the previous surgeries as far as pain and recovery goes! I mean WTF? But I heard the Doctor in this video say there is a MODIFIED version of of the CMC ARTHROPLASTY. Has anyone had such…is it an easier fix than the full cmc arthroplasty??? I’m feeling like a peice of burnt toast, my skeleton system is crumbling fast and all at one time 😢
i had my cmc joint replaced 6 weeks ago at The Cleveland Clinic. I can't imagine any other joint replacement being any "easier".
@@chuck188 THANK YOU for that! I've been stressing!