Doctors can often remedy injuries or clinical pathologies through simple procedures. Others require more delicate, nuanced work from skilled and attentive surgeons. Significant injuries to the hand fall into this second category. Following a traumatic accident or injury, it is crucial to seek a skilled surgical team to restore your hand’s full sensitivity, functionality, and appearance.
The team at Thrive Reconstructive Surgery includes reconstructive surgeons experienced in reconstructive hand surgery. This dedicated care is available to anyone whose hands have suffered fractured bones, skin cancer, and other forms of harm.
What is Hand Surgery?
Without full use of your hands, even the most simple and mundane of everyday activities can become intolerably hard. Hand injuries can keep you from doing your job, prevent you from fulfilling duties around the house, and even restrict you from your favorite leisure activities. In addition, hand injuries can result in cosmetic issues, leading to a decrease in self-confidence.
Reconstructive hand surgery is delicate and detailed work, with the goal of rebalancing the hand and the fingers to restore full use and function. A successful hand surgery will ensure that the fingers can move into a full range of normal, healthy positions, enabling you to continue comfortably using your hands.
Additionally, reconstructive hand surgery helps restore your hands’ normal, healthy appearance, so you can feel fully confident in how you look.
Reasons Hand Surgery is Needed
There are many reasons why patients may require the skill and experience of a reconstructive hand surgeon. Some of the primary reasons why patients need hand surgery include:
- Injuries to the hand (including injuries at work, injuries in car accidents, sports-related injuries, etc.)
- Arthritis, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, can do long-term damage to the structure of the hands
- Degenerative diseases that alter the structure and function of the hands
- Birth defects that impact the structure and function of the hands
- Infections of the hand
When you join us at Thrive Reconstructive Surgery, our surgeons will recommend the type of surgical procedure that will offer aesthetic and functional restoration for your specific situation.
What are The Different Types of Hand Surgery?
Depending on your underlying condition, we may opt for any of the following types of reconstructive hand surgery.
Skin Grafts
With this type of hand surgery, our surgeons attach the skin to a part of the hand where the skin is missing. The skin used for a skin graft is typically harvested from another, healthy part of the body.
Skin Flaps
Skin flaps work in much the same way as skin grafts. The difference is that a skin flap uses a piece of skin that has its own blood supply. We use skin flaps to repair areas where the skin does not have its own blood supply, such as areas with major tissue damage.
Closed Reduction and Fixation
Closed reduction-internal fixation is the method of hand surgery we tend to recommend for fractures. This method realigns broken bones, then holds them in place while they heal. In these cases, our surgeons use wires, splints, or casts to hold the bones together.
Open Reduction and Fixation
Sometimes closed reduction and fixation is not the best option. In this case, we make an incision and use hardware like delicate plates and screws to hold the bone together.
Tendon Repair
Tendons are structures that connect the bone to the muscle. Infection, trauma, and sudden rupture can all cause the tendons to break. Tendon repair is a difficult, complex type of surgery, but our reconstructive surgeons have great experience in this area.
Nerve Repair
When an injury causes nerve damage, it can create a loss of function or even a complete loss of feeling in the hand. We can repair nerve damage through a nerve graft or by attaching the broken nerve.
Joint Replacement
Also known as arthroplasty, joint replacement surgery is usually the best way to address the complications of extreme arthritis. We can provide replacement joints made from metal, plastic, or even your own natural body tissue.
Minimally Invasive Hand Surgery
Our surgeons also perform many techniques that can help with the diagnosis and treatment of a myriad of conditions using a small camera called a scope. This allows them to manage conditions with the least amount of trauma to the tissue. The result is getting your function sooner. Some conditions include wrist arthroscopy, as well as minimally invasive carpal tunnel surgery.
Advantages of Hand Surgery
Any time your hands are compromised, it can impede your ability to carry out basic, everyday tasks. Hand surgery can be advantageous for several reasons:
- A successful hand surgery will restore you to a full range of motion and normal functionality, allowing you to resume your regular activities.
- For those who struggle with chronic pain in their hand, surgical intervention can often bring relief.
- Hand surgery can also help return your hand to a normal and healthy physical appearance, increasing your self-confidence in the process.
For patients who follow post-operative instructions carefully, the positive effects of hand surgery tend to be very long-lasting.
Preparing for Surgery
The first step toward preparing for hand surgery is joining one of our surgeons for a consultation. We will evaluate your hands, confirm your eligibility for surgery, and determine the type of intervention that is necessary.
Additionally, we recommend taking the following steps to ensure your readiness for surgery:
- Make sure you stop smoking well in advance of your surgery.
- Avoid taking anti-inflammatory drugs, including aspirin.
- Ask your doctor if you need to make any temporary adjustments to your medication use.
- Arrange for someone to drive you home from surgery and help around the house for a couple of days as you recover.
Recovery
Recovery from hand surgery depends on the type of surgery you have. During your initial consultation, your doctor will provide you with more surgery-specific aftercare and recovery guidelines.
Remember that, much of the time, hand surgery will result in your hand being immobilized, often via splint or cast, for a few days or even a few weeks. Also, remember that your reconstructive surgeon may recommend therapy to ensure you regain functionality and strength in your hand, as quickly as possible. It is important to remember that most of your recovery will be related to your therapy and exercises. Our surgeons have specialized training in surgical care for the hand and the upper extremity. They are well versed in the most effective rehabilitation protocols to maximize recovery.
Why Choose Thrive Reconstructive Surgery for Hand Reconstructive Surgery?
Thrive Reconstructive Surgery is committed to providing patients with the highest standards of care, no matter how complex the pathology or delicate the surgery is. From our doctor’s experience as reconstructive surgeons to their use of minimally invasive techniques, our team can help your hands heal. We are the team that patients and referring providers trust when nobody else has a solution.
We are proud to share our experience and knowledge in reconstructive hand surgery with patients. Our doctors are ready, able, and excited to help your hands be beautiful, functional, and healthy.
Get Hand Surgery from a Trusted Provider
Ready to find out more about your options for hand surgery? We welcome you to schedule a consultation with Thrive Reconstructive Surgery. Contact us at your next opportunity.