What are the steps of a hand surgery procedure?

Step 1 – Anesthesia

Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedures. The choices include local anesthesia, intravenous sedation and general anesthesia. Your doctor will recommend the best choice for you.

Step 2 – The incision

Treating trauma

The most common traumatic hand or finger injury requiring hand surgery is tendon repair. When a tendon is cut, it will retract from the original wound site. Tendon repair retrieves the retracted tendon and reconnects it using surgical techniques to restore function and movement.

Carpal tunnel syndrome relief

Pressure on the median nerve in the carpal tunnel must be relieved to repair this condition. An incision is made from the middle of the palm to the wrist, allowing access to the constricted tissue causing pressure on the nerve. An alternate procedure is referred to as an endoscopic carpal tunnel release, with smaller incisions (see blue dotted lines) and the use of a surgical microscope or endoscope, a small flexible tube that contains a light and lens, to release pressure.

Birth deformities can be repaired

When fingers are fused together at birth, called syndactyly, they may be joined only by a web of skin or by skin and a partial fusion of bones. Surgery involves separating the two fingers to provide a full range of motion and a normal appearance, as well as permitting more normal finger growth. Techniques such as skin grafting or a local flap procedure like Z-plasty create flexibility at the incision site for growth and movement of the fingers.

Your plastic surgeon may recommend one or a combination of techniques to achieve your goals. Some of those techniques include: microsurgery, grafting of skin, bone, nerves or other tissue from healthy parts of the body, z-plasty and physical therapy.

Step 3 – Closing the incisions

Depending on your condition and type of treatment you may have incisions that need to be closed with removable sutures or your plastic surgeon may use non-removable sutures.

Step 4 – See the results

The results of hand surgery will appear gradually as swelling subsides. Your final outcome may not be realized for several months.