I have had the surgery described, and am probably a good candidate. Both thumbs are more or less shot, thought I haven't had a doctor look at the right one. He diagnosed the left one, and when the right one got as painful, in just the same way, I didn't have to even go to him.

There are times I can feel the right thumb bones grind against each other. I know I'll want the fix someday, though I do worry about two things:

Cost -- how much will it cost me?

Duration -- how log will the fix last, before the wearing action by the bone ends does away with the artificial pad?

It does make banjo playing a bit tricky, I'll say.

Bob