What is Hand Surgery?
Hand surgery includes is separate subset of surgery dealing with the bones tendons and soft tissue of the hand. Physiotherapy is an important part of hand surgery. Reconstructive surgery of the hand is necessary in post burn contractures, post trauma deformities and congenital defects.
Soft tissue injuries
Injuries of the hand need to be evaluated carefully. Though the injury may seem to be minor improperly treated nailbed and hand injuries can cause significant distress to the patient
Hand fractures
Hand Fractures are common injuries. these can be treated in different ways like splinting, k-wiring, screws, miniplates, wires, external fixators etc. The kind of fixation depends on the location and type of fractures.
Tendon injuries
Tendon injuries are common place when the hand is injured by a sharp object. though the external injury may seem innocous, the damage caused may be severe. these kind of injuries need careful surgery, prolonged immobilization and physiotherapy for good results.
Nerve grafting
Nerve injuries are best treated at the time injury itself however if the treatment is delayed then nerve grafting is most likely to be needed. Nerve injuries treated by nerve grafting are usually have a protracted recovery. The nerve for grafting is usually harvested from the leg.
Tendon grafting
When ever there is a loss of tendon or a long delay in treating a tendon injury a tendon graft is necessary. these involves replacing the tendon gap by surgery and a prolonged course of splintage and physiohterapy.
Thumb and finger reconstructions
Loss of a thumb or a digit can be quite a devastating injury reconstructions of the thumb and fingers are possible through toe transfers, osteoplastic reconstructions, transfer of the neighbouring digits to the thumb, distraction of the existing one etc to give and a good reconstruction.
Post burn deformities
Hand burns are common. Deep burns of the hand cause scarring and can restrict the function of the hand.Timely surgery can alleviate such problems. Like all other hand surgeries compression splintage and physiotherapy form an integral part of treatment of these conditions. Also See Burns & Post-Burn Deformities>