When Is Surgery the Answer for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

May 17,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

LAST SUMMER, ANNA LEA Matysek of Sarasota, Florida, and her husband Jim set to work sprucing up their property. Some of the hardscaping that had been installed two decades prior had sunk into the soft, Gulf Coast soil, and it was time to break up that old concrete and elevate the flower beds. “We excavated these giant concrete pieces and then filled the trenches with rock and laid the pieces back down so that they’re now at surface level again,” Matysek says. The job took about two weeks and involved “a lot of digging, moving pieces of concrete and shoveling rocks.” By the end of the project, the property looked great, but Matysek was suffering from a classic case of carpal tunnel syndrome.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports CTS “occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The carpal tunnel – a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand – houses the median nerve and the tendons that bend the fingers. The median nerve provides feeling to the palm side of the thumb and to the index, middle and part of the ring fingers (although not the little finger). It also controls some small muscles at the base of the thumb.”

Read the full story.

How to Treat a Stiff Elbow

May 12,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

A stiff elbow can be caused by a couple different things. It could be the result of a injury, such as a fall, and it could also result from a certain condition such as arthritis. Having a stiff elbow likely means that you are unable to move the elbow as you normally would. It makes it difficult to perform simple, everyday tasks. You likely cannot bend or straighten the elbow to pick up objects or rotate your palms to do things like wash your hands.

Here are different methods that your surgeon may recommend for treating a stiff elbow:

Exercises/stretching
Splinting
Surgery

Ask a Doctor – Hand Fractures

May 7,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Hand surgeon Brian P. Kelley, MD, answers your questions about a broken hand.

How do I know if I broke a bone in my hand?

Breaking a bone, or fracturing a bone as a doctor may refer to it, is a common injury that can occur at any age. In fact, fractures of the bones of the hand represent one of the most common reasons for a visit to the emergency department in the United States (about 1.5% of all emergency visits). Also, fractures of the fingers represent about 10% of all types of fractures.

Fractures often occur after physical trauma, such as during sports, work, or falls. However, it’s important to remember that not all hand injuries involve a fracture of the bone. Other injuries, such as sprains or dislocations, may occur around the bones, but may not actually involve a break. In these cases, the soft tissues that hold bones together may be injured (such as ligaments, tendons, muscles, or cartilage).

Hand Hand Surgery Smoking

How Smoking Can Affect Your Hands

Mar 15,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Due to the chemical nicotine – which is present in cigarettes, cigars and pipes – smoking can affect many parts of the body other than the lungs. This includes the hands and upper extremities. First, nicotine can make existing hand conditions worse. Two examples of this are:

Broken bones: A broken bone (fracture) can have more trouble healing in people who smoke. If you break your hand, wrist or arm, the fracture may not even heal.
Dupuytren’s Contracture: This is a common condition that causes fingers to permanently bend into the palm, making it impossible to straighten the fingers. It may be more common in smokers.

Hand Hand Surgeon Hand Surgery

Best Hand Surgeons in the U.S.

Mar 8,2018 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) includes a membership of more than 3,800 prestigious hand surgeons in the United States and around the world. Hand surgeon members of ASSH are required to meet rigorous standards. They are required to:

Pass the Certification in the Subspecialty of Surgery of the Hand, a difficult exam that tests their hand surgery knowledge
Be certified in general, orthopaedic or plastic surgery by their Board
Be of high moral, ethical and professional standing
Have made worthwhile contributions in areas of hand surgery

Video: Wide Awake Surgery

Dec 26,2017 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

During wide awake surgery, rather than being put asleep, you are only numbed in the area of the body on which surgery is being performed. You will be awake during the procedure. But, don’t worry, you won’t be able to see the procedure being performed. There will be a blue sheet blocking your view. For example, if you are having a hand surgery, only your hand/arm will be numbed. This procedure is fully sterile as a normal surgery is.

Watch our short, 3-minute video above to hear from a surgeon and patient about wide awake surgery. Or, keep reading to learn about the benefits of wide awake surgery.

9 Things You Need to Know About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Dec 21,2017 / By The Hand Society / 1 Comment

from SELF

Think of carpal tunnel syndrome as pins and needles on steroids. This health condition can cause persistent numbness, tingling, and burning in your fingers, wrists, and even your arms. Luckily, carpal tunnel treatment is precise enough that it has the potential to completely resolve the problem that fuels this syndrome in the first place. So here’s everything you need to know about carpal tunnel syndrome, including how to treat it if you’re experiencing symptoms.

1. Carpal tunnel syndrome all comes down to a single nerve.

The median nerve, which runs from your forearm into your thumb, index, and middle fingers, along with part of your ring finger, is nestled inside a canal known as the carpal tunnel. “When the median nerve doesn’t get enough blood flow, it makes your hand hurt and feel like it’s tingling and numb,” Leon S. Benson, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with the Illinois Bone and Joint Institutewho specializes in elbow, hand, and shoulder issues, tells SELF.

Read the full story.

Hand Hand Surgery Replantation

What is Replantation?

Nov 17,2017 / By The Hand Society / No Comment

Replantation is a procedure during which a surgeon will reattach a finger, hand or arm that has been completely cut from a person’s body. Replantation, however, isn’t always an option. A surgeon will only perform this procedure if the limb is still expected to function without pain. Sometimes, the body part is too damaged to perform a replant.

This procedure takes a number of hours to complete. The steps include:

Step 1: Damaged tissue is carefully removed.
Step 2: Bone ends are shortened and rejoined with pins, wires, or plates and screws. This holds the part in place to allow the rest of the tissues to be restored.
Step 3: Muscles, tendons, arteries, nerves and veins are then repaired. Sometimes grafts or artificial spacers of bone, skin, tendons and blood vessels may be needed, too. The grafts can be from your own body or from a tissue bank.

Category : Hand Surgery