What follows is my response to iamlight's question. I received a Biopro thumb implant last week in my left hand. I use my hands extensively for everything from gardening to precision machine work. I also do micromanipulation under a microscope, and I play the piano. (Not professionally, but it is very important to me) The LRTI approach (using a stripped and rolled up tendon) dates back to 1945. I am not impressed with its long and painful recovery, its loss of thumb length or with its loss of dexterity. Those are the main reasons I chose the Biopro approach over LRTI. I spent the last 2 years making sure I wanted a Biopro implant, while living with two essentially crippled hands (in the middle of a Covid pandemic) After extensively canvassing the western US I found an experienced doctor who uses Biopro implants, and who also does the LRTI method where the implant is inappropriate. We decided together that the implant made sense for me personally. I will publish his name only if he consents. I also considered LRTI surgery. I spoke to a doctor in the medium sized city where I live who tried to convince me that LRTI surgery is the only acceptable method. His points were: 1. The Cobalt Chrome ball will shatter and fill my tissue with unremovable shards. I pointed out that my total knee replacement is the same material. He said the same thing would happen to my knee. I have been unable to find ANY documented cases on ANY joint replacement where this has happened. Cobalt chrome is very strong and very hard. I am an engineer and I am familiar with similar materials. Perhaps this could happen in a violent car crash, but again, I could not find any actual cases where this has happened. 2. He said that the only material that can be used for repairing body parts is material that is made from my own body. Perhaps he is referring to stem cell treatments, but I could not find anyone who has perfected this method for thumb repair. I could not find anyone doing stem cell repair of CMC joints. 3. And finally, he said that an infection will develop on the metal surface of the ball that will be immune to antibiotics, and that it would be rejected by my body's defenses. All of the above sounds like weak hearsay that has been circulated by doctors who have their own axe to grind. I'm not sure exactly what that axe would be, but I have found that many times in life we need to make decisions with imperfect information. My knee replacement is 8 years old, and I almost never think about it. I have had no problems with my knee, and in my opinion it is one of modern medicine's greatest inventions. In my opinion the Biopro CMC thumb implant is similar to a hip or knee replacement. The track record there is very good. In the end we need to collect as much information as we can and then move forward. The final decision is mine, and I am comfortable with my choice. If there is interest I will report back here occasionally with an update. So far I can say that the surgery is painful, but after a week or so the pain level has dropped to "acceptable, though still uncomfortable" level. I would compare it to a broken finger or other small bone. There you have it...

OMG I can’t wait to get this done due to excruciating pain

Can anyone recommend a surgeon who does performs this surgery in Los Angeles? I would appreciate it. My insurance company keeps sending me to cosmetic surgeons 🤦🏻

Any surgeons experienced with the procedure in the Philadelphia/Doylestown area?

Can anyone recommend a surgeon who does this in the Chicago area? Thanks!

That is awesome :-)

How is it I didn't see this before doing a trapezoidectomy therex with tight rope?

I need this done however there is only one doctor in the northeast that just started using this product. I don't want to be his ginny pig.