Hand Surgery
You’ll never really appreciate how much you rely on your hands in your daily life –until you’ve injured your hand or wrist. Once that happens, in addition to the immediate physical repercussions of pain and limited range of motion, you may find yourself being unable to work, drive, cook, eat, or even dress yourself. There’s no doubt about it, your hands and wrists are one of the most underestimated areas of the human body.
Should you find yourself in need of surgery for your hand or wrist, you can rely on Dr. J. Scott Herron, podiatric surgeon at the Joint Replacement Institute in Naples, Florida.
Hand & Wrist Injuries That May Require Surgery
Using your hands to break a fall is a common way to injure your hand or wrist. The many small bones and connective tissue inside the compact area of your hands and wrist make them particularly susceptible to overuse injuries or repetitive strain, as well.
Among the many injuries that can impact your hands and wrists, fractures and arthritis are two of the most common reasons for hand or wrist surgery. That said, surgery may be required to address a wide range of hand or wrist injuries, including:
- Arthritis
- Sports injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Strains and sprains
- Dupuytren’s contracture
- Tendonitis
- Ganglion cysts
- Fractures
- Thumb joint pain
- Repetitive strain
- Trigger finger
Hand & Wrist Surgeries
When injections and other minimally invasive procedures fail to resolve your pain and other symptoms, surgery may be necessary. When it is, some of the most common surgical approaches for hand and wrist injuries include:
When you have a repetitive-use injury like carpal tunnel syndrome, surgical repair is relatively straightforward. Carpal tunnel syndrome involves pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. Surgical repair of carpal tunnel is done by making a small incision on the palm side of the wrist in order to cut through a ligament, which provides more room for the median nerve and tendons that pass through the tunnel in your wrist.
Ganglion cysts commonly appear on the hands and wrists. In most cases, these fluid-filled cysts are benign – but, if the cyst interferes with your movement or use of the hands, your doctor may recommend it be drained by needle or surgically removed.
Bones can break in your hand or wrist due to vehicle accidents, sports injuries, falls, or other types of trauma to the hands. Bones may become displaced, broken, or crushed. The extent and severity of the fracture will determine what type of treatment or fracture care is needed. In the best cases, immobilization with a cast or splint is enough to allow the bones heal on their own. Other times, surgery will be needed to either reset and secure the fracture, or to reconstruct hard and soft tissue in order to regain function of your hand and wrist.
Tendon repair is a common type of hand surgery. Tendons attach muscle to bone – but tendons can become frayed, damaged, and may rupture entirely due to trauma or repetitive strain. Surgical repair will often include removing damaged portions of the tendon and re-attaching it. In some cases, your surgeon may use a graft (part of a tendon from another area of the body) to replace the damaged tendon.
Arthritis at the thumb joint is very common. When it’s bad enough, it may require a joint replacement surgery in which the damaged portions of the thumb joint are removed and surgically replaced with an artificial prosthesis.
Hand & Wrist Surgeon in Naples, FL
If you have a problem with your hands, see a specialist who can protect their look and function. Contact Dr. J. Scott Herron, the fellowship-trained, board-eligible hand and wrist surgeon at the Joint Replacement Institute in Naples, Florida. Call (239) 261-2663 to find out more about your hand surgery options. You can also request an appointment now.
