Top 6 Most Common Conditions Requiring Hand Surgery
The hands perform thousands of precise movements every day, and conditions that cause pain, numbness, stiffness or deformity can make ordinary tasks difficult. When conservative treatments such as splinting, hand therapy and injections no longer provide relief, hand surgery can restore function and comfort. Many of the most common hand surgery procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, allowing patients to return home the same day.
Hand surgery is a specialized field that requires detailed knowledge of the small bones, tendons, nerves and blood vessels of the hand. Oakland County board-certified hand surgeon Dr. Uzma Rehman performs a wide range of hand surgery procedures, including the six most common operations reviewed here.
Carpal Tunnel Release Hand Surgery
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve is compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway in the wrist. Symptoms include numbness, tingling and pain in the thumb, index finger, middle finger and part of the ring finger, often worse at night, along with weakness and clumsiness of the hand. Carpal tunnel release is one of the most frequently performed hand surgery procedures in the United States.
Carpal tunnel release hand surgery is recommended when symptoms persist despite splinting and injections, or when nerve testing shows significant compression or muscle weakness. During the procedure, the transverse carpal ligament that forms the roof of the tunnel is divided, relieving pressure on the median nerve. The surgery may be performed through a small open incision or endoscopically, and many patients notice improvement in nighttime symptoms soon after surgery, while recovery of strength can take several months.
Trigger Finger Release Hand Surgery
Trigger finger, or stenosing tenosynovitis, occurs when a flexor tendon cannot glide smoothly through its sheath because of thickening at the entrance to the sheath, known as the A1 pulley. The affected finger may click, catch or lock in a bent position and can be painful to straighten. Trigger finger is more common in people with diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
When corticosteroid injections do not provide lasting relief, trigger finger release hand surgery is a highly effective solution. The procedure releases the A1 pulley through a small incision in the palm, allowing the tendon to move freely again. Trigger finger release is typically performed under local anesthesia, recovery is usually quick, and most patients regain smooth finger movement within a few weeks of hand surgery.
Hand & Wrist Fracture Hand Surgery
Fractures of the hand and wrist commonly result from falls on an outstretched hand, sports injuries, crush injuries and motor vehicle accidents. Distal radius fractures, commonly called broken wrists, are among the most frequent fractures in adults, and fractures of the scaphoid bone, the metacarpals and the finger bones are also common.
Many fractures heal well with a cast or splint, but hand surgery is recommended when a fracture is displaced, unstable, extends into a joint surface or fails to heal. During fracture hand surgery, the bones are realigned and held in position with plates, screws, pins or wires so they can heal correctly. Restoring proper alignment helps preserve motion and grip strength and reduces the risk of post-traumatic arthritis, and hand therapy after surgery is essential for a full recovery.
Tendon & Ligament Repair Hand Surgery
Tendons connect muscles to bones and allow the fingers to bend and straighten, while ligaments connect bones to one another and stabilize the joints. Tendons in the hand can be cut by lacerations from knives, glass or tools, or ruptured by sudden force or conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Ligament injuries often occur during falls and sports, including injury to the thumb’s ulnar collateral ligament, known as skier’s thumb, and injuries to the scapholunate ligament of the wrist.
Because the ends of a cut tendon retract and cannot heal on their own, tendon and ligament repair hand surgery is often needed to restore function, and flexor tendon injuries are best repaired within days of the injury. Dr. Rehman reconnects the tendon or ligament with specialized sutures, or reconstructs it with a graft when necessary. A carefully supervised hand therapy program is critical after tendon repair hand surgery to protect the repair while preventing stiffness and scar adhesions.
Dupuytren’s Contracture Hand Surgery
Dupuytren’s contracture is an inherited condition in which the connective tissue in the palm, called the palmar fascia, gradually thickens and forms cords that pull the fingers into a bent position. The condition most often affects the ring and small fingers and is more common in men over age 50 and in people of Northern European ancestry.
Dupuytren’s contracture hand surgery is typically considered when the contracture interferes with daily activities or when the hand can no longer be placed flat on a table. Fasciectomy, the surgical removal of the diseased tissue, provides durable correction and is particularly useful for advanced or recurrent disease. Less invasive options, including needle aponeurotomy and collagenase injections, may suit some patients, and Oakland County board certified hand surgeon Dr. Uzma Rehman reviews each approach so patients can choose the treatment best suited to their condition.
Ganglion Cyst Removal Surgery
Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled, noncancerous lumps that most often form on the back or front of the wrist or at the base of a finger. They arise from a joint capsule or tendon sheath and contain a thick, jelly-like fluid. Many ganglion cysts cause no pain, may resolve on their own and never require hand surgery, but others cause discomfort, press on nerves or interfere with movement.
Ganglion cyst removal hand surgery, known as excision, is recommended when a cyst is painful, limits function or returns after aspiration. During the procedure, the cyst is removed along with its connecting stalk to the joint or tendon sheath, which lowers the risk of recurrence compared with aspiration alone. This hand surgery may be performed through an open incision or, for some wrist ganglions, arthroscopically through tiny incisions.
Hand Surgery | Oakland County
If hand pain, numbness, a locked finger or a lump in your hand or wrist is interfering with your daily activities, hand surgery may help restore comfort and function. Many common hand surgery procedures offer excellent results with a relatively quick recovery, and nonsurgical options are always considered first when appropriate.
Schedule a consultation with Oakland County board certified hand surgeon Dr. Uzma Rehman at Macomb Hand Surgery to learn which treatment options are right for you.
