May. 18, 2026
A surgeon with Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic (KOC) is the first in East Tennessee to perform a revolutionary prosthetic thumb surgery that treats arthritis with minimal downtime. Dr. Benjamin Rogozinski noted the surgery has been Europe’s gold standard for more than a decade. After the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it last summer, Rogozinski was selected to train in the procedure, one he believes will transform treatment for thumb arthritis in the United Sates going forward.
“Typically, when we do thumb arthritis surgery, you do a resection arthroplasty where you remove the small arthritic bone and manipulate a tendon to fill the space,” said Rogozinski, a hand, wrist and elbow surgeon for KOC.
“With this new surgery, you preserve the bone and replace the arthritic joint with a metal and polyethylene prosthetic that connects the bones like a mini hip replacement, so a surgical recovery that could take six months to a year is now in the six-week range with no splints or physical therapy.”
Rogozinski performed the first thumb joint replacement on Tammy Hall, a scrub technician who works with him at Knoxville Orthopaedic Surgery Center (KOSC), with great results.
Hall said she’d been dealing with increasing arthritis pain in both thumbs for about a decade and it had become disabling. Hall could no longer hold trays, open bottles or even grip a soda. Now just three weeks after her surgery, she is almost completely pain free and eager to fix the other thumb.
“The first week there was some pain and swelling, but since then, I’ve been doing great – I can hold a coke and have grip strength back already,” Hall said. “I’m thrilled to have my life back and I’m ready to do the other one.”
Rogozinski already had performed successful elbow surgery on Hall.
“Dr. Rogozinski is awesome, and I’d trust him to do anything,” Hall said.
Hall indicated she was eager to embrace the opportunity because of the quick recovery time that would enable her to get both thumbs done over the summer.
“This surgery is going to be a game changer for those suffering with thumb arthritis, especially for active workers who weren’t great candidates due to the durability of how these surgeries were done in the past,” Rogozinski said. “For those who worked with tools or in manual labor positions, it was a difficult path to get that hand strength back – this is going to change everything.”
Rogozinski touted the long-term study of the procedure and patient outcomes in Europe, which has shown durability and quick recovery without extensive therapy.
Estimates indicate about 15 percent of adults over age 30 and two-thirds of women over the age of 55 suffer from thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis, a condition where cartilage at the base of the thumb wears away.
KOC is the only orthopaedic provider in East Tennessee offering this thumb surgery, which Rogozinski performs at Knoxville Orthopaedic Surgery Center (KOSC). The orthopaedic-only outpatient surgery center in West Knoxville provides convenient, patient-centered treatment outside of a traditional hospital setting.
KOC has been a leader in orthopaedic care for more than 80 years. The practice includes more than 1,000 team members across 10 office locations, seven urgent care clinics and two surgery centers. The orthopaedic network offers experts in 13 subspecialties from joint replacement to trauma surgery to help patients lead healthier, more active lives.
Learn more about all of KOC’s experts and services online at KOCortho.com.
About Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic
Knoxville Orthopaedic Clinic is the region’s largest provider of orthopaedic care and services with more than 520,000 patient visits annually at 12 East Tennessee locations. As a network of convenient and accessible clinics that provide exceptional orthopaedic care across the region, KOC comprises 10 office locations; two ambulatory surgery centers; and additional services including urgent care, MRI, orthotics and bracing, physical and occupational therapy and sports medicine outreach. KOC’s more than 150 orthopaedic experts, supported by over 1,000 team members, provide a superior quality of diagnostic proficiency; when needed, an unmatched level of surgical expertise; and a patient-centered approach to deliver unparalleled personalized treatment. The network recently earned a 2025 “Top Workplace” ranking from Knoxville News Sentinel based on employee surveys measuring company culture. For more information, visit kocortho.com.
