Учительница из Квинса восстановила подвижность рук после первой в истории Лайн-Айленда операции по замене сустава большого пальца

A Queens teacher is giving two thumbs up to a groundbreaking procedure that is giving her back the use of both hands — and making everyday tasks possible again. Maria Vitale, 58, of Whitestone, underwent the first thumb joint replacement of its kind on Long Island in May, followed by a second procedure on her other hand in July. The surgeries were performed by Dr. Dana Cruz, a hand and upper extremity orthopedic surgeon with Northwell’s Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group, at the Northwell Lynbrook Surgery Center. The procedure uses the TOUCH CMC 1 prosthesis, a tiny artificial ball joint designed to replace the damaged portion of the thumb’s basal joint while preserving more of the hand’s natural anatomy and movement. The device was approved by the FDA last year. Cruz is among about 100 surgeons nationwide currently performing the procedure. Vitale, a fourth-grade public school teacher in Woodside, had struggled with basal thumb arthritis for about three years. The condition caused pain, stiffness and weakening grip strength, eventually making activities such as painting, do-it-yourself projects and writing on a classroom smart board difficult. She initially found relief from cortisone injections, but after several rounds, they stopped working. “I love to paint, I love to do DIY things like using tools and things like that, and those things went out the window,” Vitale said. When Cruz presented the new joint replacement as an option, Vitale decided to wait for the procedure rather than undergo a traditional surgery that could limit thumb movement. “It looks like a little hip replacement,” Vitale recalled thinking when Cruz showed her the implant. Read More: New Hyde Park man struck by LIRR train died Cruz traveled to Switzerland and France in April for training in the technique. European hand surgeons have used the procedure for nearly a decade. Unlike a traditional trapeziectomy, which removes the arthritic bone, the joint replacement preserves the joint’s anatomy and biomechanics. Cruz said it can offer appropriately selected patients a faster return to function, though longer-term studies are needed to assess implant longevity and complications. Vitale said recovery from her first surgery was relatively easy, and she has already regained the ability to unlock doors, turn doorknobs and brush her teeth without the pain she once experienced. “I’m so glad I did it,” she said. Her right hand is still recovering, but Vitale is looking forward to returning to the hobbies and daily activities she had gradually given up. For Cruz, Vitale’s experience is encouraging but represents only an early step. “The first case isn’t about simply being first,” Cruz said. “It’s about demonstrating that the technology can be incorporated safely and thoughtfully into our patient population.”