Hand Surgery

What is Hand Surgery?

If your hand is impaired in any way, surgery may improve your condition. This type of very specialized surgery can treat diseases that cause pain and impair the strength, function and flexibility of your wrist and fingers. Surgery seeks to restore to near normal the function of fingers and hands injured by trauma or to correct abnormalities that were present at birth. Specifically, hand surgery can treat:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome - a condition caused by pressure to the median nerve within the wrist, or carpal tunnel. You might feel pain, a tingling sensation, numbness of the fingers, weakness or aching. Carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with multiple conditions including: repetitive motion or overuse, fluid retention during pregnancy, injury to the nerve in the carpal tunnel or rheumatoid arthritis.
• Rheumatoid arthritis - a disabling disease that can cause severe inflammation in any joint of the body. In the hand, it can deform fingers and impair movement.
• Dupuytren's contracture - a disabling hand disorder in which thick, scar-like tissue bands form within the palm and may extend into the fingers. It can cause restricted movement, bending the fingers into an abnormal position.
• Lacerations, fractures, and nerve injuries - can be repaired. Dr. Strinden does perform microsurgery for nerve and small blood vessel repair.

Am I a candidate for Hand Surgery?

Hand surgery is a highly individualized procedure which can be performed on people of any age and is a good option for you if:

• You do not have additional medical conditions or other illnesses that may impair healing
• You are a non-smoker; however in an emergency this is not a contraindication. Smoking impedes wound healing.
• You have a positive outlook and realistic goals for your hand surgery
• You are committed to following your plastic surgeon's prescribed course of treatment
• In some conditions, hand surgery is necessary to treat wounds and to help painful conditions

When is Hand Surgery done?

Options for elective hand surgery will be discussed in an office visit. In the event of hand injury, Dr. Strinden is qualified to repair fractures, tendon injuries, and performs micro surgery to repair nerves and arteries.