Hand Surgery

What is hand surgery?

If your hand is impaired in any way, surgery may improve your condition. This type of very specialized surgery can treat diseases that cause pain and impair the strength, function and flexibility of your wrist and fingers. Surgery seeks to restore to near normal the function of fingers and hands affected by disease, injured by trauma or to correct abnormalities that were present at birth.

What hand surgery can treat

Carpal tunnel syndrome: A condition caused by pressure to the median nerve within the wrist, or carpal tunnel. You might feel pain, a tingling sensation, numbness of the fingers, weakness or aching. Carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with multiple conditions including: repetitive motion or overuse, fluid retention during pregnancy, injury to the nerve in the carpal tunnel or rheumatoid arthritis.

Dupuytren's contracture: A disabling hand disorder in which thick, scar-like tissue bands form within the palm and may extend into the fingers. It can cause restricted movement, bending the fingers into an abnormal position.

De Quervain’s Tendinosis: Tendinitis is tenderness and pain in the affected joint area due to inflammation or irritation of the tendon. As a result, the tendons can’t move smoothly and lead to intense pain when gripping or making turning movements with the hand and wrist. This surgical procedure involves releasing the constricted tendon sheath to alleviate thumb an wrist pain, enhancing hand function.

Trigger Finger: Happens when something inflames a band of tissue called a “pulley,” which holds the tendon to the finger bone, most often in the ring finger or thumb. This narrows the space in the tube, or “sheath,” around the tendon and causes stiffness and pain.

If you have trigger finger, you might feel a little bump that catches when you use the finger. Eventually it can lock your finger into a bent position.

It isn’t clear what causes trigger finger, but repeated or strenuous hand movement seems to play a part. And you’re more likely to get it if you have rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, or gout.

Who is a good candidate for hand surgery?

Patients with painful conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, De Quervain’s tendinosis, triggrer finger and Dupuytren's contracture may be suitable candidates for hand surgery.

These procedures can be performed on people of any age and is a good option for you if:

• You do not have additional medical conditions or other illnesses that may impair healing
• You are a nonsmoker/ nonvaper
• You have a positive outlook and realistic goals for your hand surgery
• You are committed to following your plastic surgeon's prescribed course of treatment

In some conditions, hand surgery is necessary to treat wounds and injuries. Plastic surgeons are often involved in treating patients who come to the emergency room with severe hand trauma.