Orthopaedic hand surgery is a branch in medicine that involves a broad spectrum of procedures.
It encompasses different kinds of surgery that aims to bring back the hand’s functionality.
Surgeons that perform these types of surgery also aims to restore part (or when possible, full) usability of the upper extremities, specifically the hands and the fingers.
In addition, the procedure is also carried out to make the affected area look as normal as possible.
Orthopaedic hand surgery is carried out to resolve different scenarios.
For instance, it is the likely resolution for those who are suffering from different hand injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and other damages in the hand structure.
In some cases, the structures inside the hand degenerates secondary to some underlying illnesses.
The procedure is also performed when there are congenital defects or infections that result from trauma or disease.
Some of the most common orthopaedic hand surgery include:
Skin Flaps
This procedure entails fixing conditions that result to extensive damage to the tissues or vessels.
Just like skin grafts, skin flaps involve using a healthy part of the skin taken from another area or part of the body together with the underlying vessels.
This is done to give the injured part adequate blood supply.
Tendon Repair
Since tendons are complex structures, this type of surgery is considered relatively challenging.
Damage to the tendon can be caused by numerous factors—rupture, trauma, and infection to name a few.
The following are the 3 types of tendon repair surgery often carried out: primary, delayed, and secondary.
Fasciotomy
This type of hand surgery is carried out to resolve compartment syndrome.
Compartment syndrome occurs when there is pressure or swelling trapped in a small space in the body secondary to injury.
When left unattended and untreated, the condition can escalate into something more serious and may cause change in the color or the nailbeds or fingers.
Nerve Repairs
When there is blunt trauma involved, there is a high possibility for the nerves found in the hand to become damaged.
Traumas can sometimes result to loss of both function and sensitivity.
Skin Grafts
Skin grafts can be carried out in any part of the body that is covered in skin.
The procedure involves attaching the skin from another body part and using it in place of the damaged skin in the hand.
In most cases, this type of surgery is performed when there are injuries, trauma, or finger amputations.
The healthy skin attached to the damaged part is called donor site.
Closed Reduction and Fixation
This procedure is performed in the case of bone fractures whether in the fingers or the hand itself.
The primary goal of this type of surgery is to realign the bone, hold it in place, and give it time to heal.
This will also require immobilization of the affected hand.
To ensure immobility, splints, casts, rods, or wires are used.
While post-surgery pain from hand surgery is often managed through pain medications, there might be other more effective means in your case.
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