Hand & Wrist Procedures

Open reduction and internal fixation of the wrist is a surgical technique employed for the treatment of severe wrist fractures to restore normal anatomy and improve range of motion and function.

A wrist fracture refers to a break in one or more bones in the wrist. The most common sites of fracture in the wrist are the radius (the large forearm bone) and the scaphoid (one of the small hand bones).

The peripheral nerves are the nerve fibers that compose the area from head to toe, connecting the brain and spinal cord with the rest of the body parts. Nerves transmit electrical impulses and signals to and from the brain. Peripheral nervous system disorders interrupt the transmission of signals and weaken the sensory and motor nerve functions.

Your wrist is a complex joint made up of eight small bones called carpal bones. These bones are supported by connecting ligaments. Various conditions can affect your wrist joint such as carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis and others.

Wrist arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed to view, diagnose and treat problems of your wrist joint.

Microvascular surgery or microsurgery is a surgical technique for joining or repairing the damaged blood vessels and nerves during reconstructive surgery of body parts. Reconstructive surgery restores the functioning of the body parts by improving circulation.

Reconstructive surgery is the transfer of muscles and large segments of skin, fat, and bone from one part of the body to another.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with carpal tunnel release surgery. Traditional surgery involves an incision of up to 2 inches in the palm and wrist area, whereas endoscopic surgery involves one or two half-an-inch incisions and the use of an endoscope. During the surgery, the transverse carpal ligament will be dissected to release the pressure on the median nerve and enlarge the carpal tunnel. Your surgeon will decide which options are best for you based on your general and medical conditions.

The human wrist is made up of small bones joined together by a band of tough fibrous tissue known as ligaments. Ligaments also join the bones in our wrist to the radius, ulna, and metacarpal bones, and aid in the proper functioning of our wrist.

Any injury to the ligaments disturbs the normal alignment of our wrist bones, causing them to wear out faster, resulting in significant pain and eventually leading to arthritis.

The hand is one of the most flexible and useful parts of our body. Because of overuse in various activities, the hands are more prone to injuries, such as sprains and strains, fractures and dislocations, lacerations and amputations while operating machinery, bracing against a fall and sports-related injuries.

A hand fracture is a break in one of the bones in the hand, which occurs when force greater than the bearable limit is applied against a bone.

Arthritis develops when the cartilage wears-out, resulting in pain, stiffness and inflammation in the joints. Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, but the most commonly affected joints are the small joints of the fingers.

Finger joint fusion is a surgical procedure to remove the damaged bony ends of a finger joint followed by insertion of a prosthesis to fuse the bones back together. Finger joint fusion is performed to relieve arthritis pain in the fingers.

Xiaflex is an injection consisting of enzymes that are used to break down stiffened tissue. It is used to treat conditions such as Dupuytren’s contracture and Peyronie’s disease.

Xiaflex works by breaking down the stiffened rope-like cord allowing the affected finger to extend more normally.

Arthroscopic partial wrist fusion is a minimally-invasive surgery that uses tiny incisions to immobilize selected bones of the wrist. The wrist joint is one of the most complex joints in the human body. It is made up of carpal bones and the two bones of the forearm: the radius and ulna. The carpal bones are eight separate small bones supported by connecting ligaments that join the hand to the forearm.

A finger joint implant is an artificial joint made of metal, plastic, or pyrocarbon components that are used to replace a severely arthritic or injured finger joint. Finger implant surgery is a motion-preserving alternative to finger joint fusion surgery.

A finger joint implant may be indicated if the finger is painful, unstable, and has a limited range of motion due to arthritis, injury, or post-fracture deformation.

Immediate treatment for a wrist fracture will include splinting, icing the area, and pain medication to relieve symptoms. If the fractured ends of the bone are not displaced, external fixation by application of a cast or splint may be enough to treat the wrist fracture.

When the fractured ends are significantly displaced, surgery is necessary for wrist fracture fixation. Surgical treatment options include open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) which involves the use of pins, plates, and screws to properly align the fractured ends and stabilize the fracture from the inside.

Nerve decompression of the upper extremities, also called peripheral nerve decompression, is a minimally invasive surgical procedure employed to relieve pressure on an entrapped or pinched nerve (neuroma) for the treatment of conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome, the two most common nerve compression syndromes.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common, painful, progressive condition that is caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist area. The common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness and tingling sensation in all the fingers except the little finger, pain and burning sensation in your hand and wrist that may radiate up the arm and elbow, and weakness in your hand with diminished grip strength.

If conservative methods fail to resolve the condition your doctor may recommend surgery.

The distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) is a pivot type synovial joint located between the radius and the ulna just proximal to the wrist joint and assists in pronation and supination of the forearm.

Arthroscopy of the distal radioulnar joint is a minimally invasive surgical procedure employed for the visualization and treatment of the injured distal radioulnar joint using an arthroscope.

Hand therapy is a rehabilitation technique recommended to improve the strength and restore functional activity of hands in patients with upper extremity injuries. Hand therapy also helps in preventing injury.

Hand therapy, based on the rehabilitation program or preventive therapy, will be initiated within a few days of the injury or surgery and continued until you can restore your normal activities.

The hand is one of the most flexible and useful parts of our body that enable us to perform many of our daily activities. The hands and wrists are prone to injuries or certain orthopedic conditions and can range from minor cuts or burns to severe arthritis or injuries of nerves, bones, and tendons.