Hand Surgery - What You Need to Know

A Hand Surgery Beenleigh is a medical doctor with special training in the treatment of problems that affect the hands, wrists, and forearms.

A hand surgeon may treat a variety of conditions, including arthritis, nerve and tendon injuries, and congenital limb differences (birth defects). Some hand surgeries require an overnight stay in the hospital.

Joint Replacement

Joint replacement, or arthroplasty, is a common surgical procedure that treats severe arthritis. It replaces the damaged bone, cartilage and synovium of a joint with an artificial part (prosthesis).

The surgery is done under spinal anesthesia in combination with a nerve block to put you asleep. This helps prevent the need for general anesthesia and may result in less pain during the surgery.

Arthritis can take a toll on the hands, making them painful and deformed. Hand arthritis can be treated with a variety of hand surgery options, including fusion (arthrodesis) and total knuckle replacement.

Replantation

Replantation is a surgery that allows you to reattach a finger, hand or arm that has been completely cut off. The surgery is usually recommended when the missing part will work at least as well as a prosthesis and would not interfere with normal hand use.

The process starts with a surgeon carefully removing damaged tissue. Bone ends are then shortened and joined with pins, wires or plates and screws.

Nerve Repair

Nerves are like telephone cables that carry signals from your body to the brain. These signals allow your muscles to move and feel sensations such as pressure, temperature, texture and pain.

Damaged nerves can cause problems such as tingling, weakness and loss of feeling in your hand or arm. Some nerve injuries can be treated on their own but other nerves require surgery to restore function and movement.

During nerve repair, the surgeon repairs the sheath that surrounds the injured nerves and reconnects them. Once this is done, the damaged nerve fibers will grow from the repair site toward the skin and muscle they were aimed at.

Fasciotomy

A fasciotomy is a surgical procedure in which a layer of tissue called the fascia (FASH-ee-uh) is cut to relieve tension or pressure. This procedure is usually used to treat compartment syndrome and can be life-saving if performed in an emergency.

Compartment syndrome is a painful condition caused by increased pressure within the muscle and nerve compartments in the arms and legs. It compromises blood supply to the muscles, affects the function of nerves and injures tissues.

A fasciotomy can be done to relieve the pressure that is causing pain, numbness and tingling in the area. It is often done to treat acute compartment syndrome and can reduce the risk of amputation, poor function and death.

Skin Grafts

Skin grafts are pieces of healthy skin that surgeons transplant to cover wounds or areas where the skin is missing. There are 2 main types of skin grafts: split-thickness and full-thickness.

A split-thickness graft is made from skin that has been cut into thin layers. The surgeon removes these layers from a good-healing area of your body (donor site) that matches the color and tone of your damaged skin.

These grafts usually heal well and look like the normal skin around them. However, some of them do not grow very quickly and may need a second surgery. They also can turn dark blue or black, a sign that some of the tissue has died.

Skin Flaps

A skin flap involves transferring a living piece of tissue from one part of the body to another, along with its blood vessels that keep it alive.

The skin flap is then used to cover a wound or defect. The blood supply to the flap is maintained so it continues to heal as a normal wound does.

Flaps are also thought to provide better cosmetic results than skin grafting because the color and texture of the repaired area are generally more closely matched to the surrounding area. They are also considered to have a lower chance of failure than skin grafts.