A golfer who spent years getting injections to manage painful thumb arthritis is back on the course after a new implant procedure performed at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center.

Brannon King, who plays golf three to four days a week in Conroe, was the second patient in the Houston area to receive the Keri TOUCH thumb implant, according to a Memorial Hermann statement published by Hello Woodlands on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The procedure was performed by Dr. Mark Ciaglia, a board-certified, fellowship-trained hand surgeon affiliated with the hospital.

Ciaglia is one of a handful of surgeons nationwide trained in the technique. The implant works like a total hip replacement for the thumb, targeting the carpometacarpal joint at the base where arthritis commonly develops. The condition causes pain with pinching and gripping, making everyday tasks like turning a doorknob difficult, Ciaglia said in the statement.

Traditional surgical options for thumb arthritis can leave a patient's hand and wrist immobilized for up to six months, according to Ciaglia. With the TOUCH implant, patients wear a small bandage for one week, then a brace for two to three weeks before returning to normal activity.

King had avoided surgery for years, relying on shots in his hand to numb the pain. When the shots stopped working, he opted for the new procedure and is now back on the golf course.

The TOUCH CMC 1 prosthesis, developed by KeriMedical and distributed in the United States by Medartis Inc., received FDA approval on July 10, 2025, according to regulatory filings. The device has been used in Europe for over a decade. The first U.S. procedure was performed in September 2025 by Dr. Jonathan Tueting at Rush Orthopaedics in Aurora, Illinois, according to a Medartis press release.

Thumb arthritis is common, especially in women over 40 and in people who have used their hands heavily through work or hobbies, according to KeriMedical's patient information. Ciaglia noted that golfers can wear out the thumb joint readily.

Ciaglia, who lives in The Woodlands, practices at the Woodlands Center for Special Surgery. He completed a hand surgery fellowship at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, where he trained under hand surgeon Dr. Charles Melone.

"This one is next," King said, pointing to his right thumb before heading to the driving range.