Warsaw, Indiana – 17 September 2025: Jonathan Tueting, MD of Rush Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Aurora, Illinois performed the very first carpometacarpal (CMC) total joint arthroplasty in the United States this week using the TOUCH® CMC 1 prosthesis developed and manufactured by KeriMedical and distributed by Medartis Inc.
This follows the recent announcement of the FDA approval of TOUCH® CMC 1 in the U.S. The total joint prosthesis, used in the treatment of thumb rhizarthrosis, has established a strong market presence in EMEA over the past decade.
Dr. Tueting commented, “Previously available in Europe, the thumb CMC joint replacement provides an innovative alternative for the treatment of thumb arthritis in the US. Like a tiny total hip replacement for the thumb, it will allow pain-free return to function in patients suffering from thumb arthritis pain.”
“We founded KeriMedical in 2016 with the main goal of bringing the first thumb base total joint arthroplasty solution to the US market, believing that this treatment option should be the gold standard. The time being, we became the world leading company for this joint. Bringing the TOUCH® CMC 1 dual-mobility ball-and-socket implant to the US was a challenging and exciting project for the entire company, providing robust clinical evidence and meeting FDA requirements, that mobilized massive financial and human resources over the past 5 years,” shared Bernard Prandi and Dougal Bendjaballah, KeriMedical Co-founders.
“We’re thrilled to be able to share this news after a much-anticipated wait for FDA approval of the TOUCH® CMC 1 prosthesis. This is a huge opportunity for surgeons to treat patients with a unique procedure that has already been proven successful in Europe. We have a great team that is ready to get surgeons trained on this technology and we look forward to hearing stories of patients that were able to get back to enjoying their daily lives because of this treatment option,” stated David Thoni, Medartis US President.
The prosthesis offers comprehensive clinical data support and incorporates dual mobility technology to enhance joint stability. The TOUCH prosthesis addresses a critical clinical need in hand surgery, as the CMC 1 joint is amongst the most commonly affected by osteoarthritis. Radiographic evidence appears in 20-30% of individuals over 40, with 2-16% progressing to symptomatic osteoarthritis that significantly impacts daily life [1,2].
Surgeons who want to learn more about the TOUCH® CMC 1 prosthesis from KeriMedical, visit www.kerimedical.com or contact Medartis Inc. www.medartisusa.com.
Additional Media:
Media Contact:
Medartis US Corporate Communications
Dave Temple, Executive Director of Marketing Communications
Email: us_corporate_communications@medartis.com
Phone: +1 574 376 2404
About Medartis
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, the Medartis Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers and providers of medical devices for surgical fixation of bone fractures and joint replacement for upper and lower extremities as well as for the craniomaxillofacial region. The Group has manufacturing sites in the United States, Switzerland, Brazil and France. Medartis employs approx. 1,400 individuals across its 13 locations, with products offered in over 50 countries globally. Medartis is committed to providing surgeons and operating theatre personnel with the most innovative implants and instruments as well as best-in-class service.
For more information, please visit www.medartis.com.
About Keri Medical
Founded in 2016, Keri Medical, a Medartis Group company, specializes in developing and marketing a comprehensive range of implants exclusively for hand & wrist surgery. The Keri Medical team possesses extensive experience in orthopaedic surgery with expertise across all operational areas: design, manufacturing, quality, marketing and product promotion. Keri Medical collaborates with a panel of surgeons who have recognized expertise in France and internationally. These specialists share their clinical and medical knowledge to support the development and validation of new solutions. The company is headquartered in Geneva, employs approx. 150 employees and its products are available in 30 countries. For further information, please visit www.kerimedical.com.
1 Haugen IK, Englund M, Aliabadi P, et al. Prevalence, incidence and progression of hand osteoarthritis in the general population: the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study Ann Rheum Dis. 2011;70(9):1581-1586. doi:10.1136/ard.2011.150078
2 Wilder FV, Barrett JP, Farina EJ. Joint-specific prevalence of osteoarthritis of the hand. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006;14(9):953- 957,
3Zhang Y, Niu J, Kelly-Hayes M, Chaisson CE, Aliabadi P, Felson DT. Prevalence of symptomatic hand osteoarthritis and its impact on functional status among the elderly: The Framingham Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2002;156(11):1021-1027. doi:10.1093/aje/kwf141
