Hand Surgery
What can hand surgery treat?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition in which the median nerve is squeezed at the point it passes through the wrist. The median nerve controls some of the muscles that move the thumb; it also carries information back to the brain about sensations in your thumb and fingers.
Carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain, aching, tingling or numbness in either one, or both, of your hands. It tends to come on gradually, over a period of weeks. The symptoms are usually worse in the thumb, index and middle fingers, but sometimes it may feel like your whole hand is affected. You may also have an ache extending up the arm to your shoulder or neck.
Most people with carpal tunnel syndrome are treated without surgery. If you’re symptoms appear to be worsening one of the following procedures might be suggested for you:
- Open carpal tunnel release surgery – Open surgery requires a longer recovery period and leaves a larger scar. But there may be less chance of other complications.
- Endoscopic carpal tunnel release surgery – Recovery is quicker than with open surgery. The scars are less invasive and tend to be less painful at 3 months after surgery.
Schedule a consultation to determine if hand surgery is right for you.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
The surgical treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis of the hand and wrist include synovectomy, tenosynovectomy, tendon realignment, reconstructive surgery or arthroplasty, and arthrodesis. Surgical treatment is much more likely to be successful if it is implemented early in the course of the deformity. If the patient does not receive timely referral to a hand surgeon, the resultant function of the hand may be severely compromised.