Hand Trauma Surgery

Hand trauma surgery refers to surgical procedures performed to treat injuries sustained by the hand, including bones, joints, tendons, nerves, and soft tissue. Common conditions that may require surgery include:

• Fractures: Broken bones in the fingers, hand, wrist, or forearm.
• Tendon and Ligament Damage: Torn tendons or ligaments that affect the movement or stability of the hand.
• Nerve Injuries: Damage to the nerves in the hand, which may lead to numbness, tingling, or loss of function.
• Soft Tissue Injuries: Damage to muscles, skin, blood vessels, or tendons, often from cuts, lacerations, or burns.

Our goal at Cutis Clinic Brisbane is to restore hand function, minimize scarring, and ensure that the patient can return to normal activities as much as possible.

Hand trauma surgery should be considered when:

• Conservative Treatments Fail: If a hand injury does not heal with methods like rest, ice, splinting, or physical therapy, surgery may be necessary.
• Severe Injuries: If the injury involves multiple fractures, nerve damage, or tendon ruptures that significantly impair hand function, surgery is usually needed to restore function and prevent permanent damage.
  
  
• Functional Loss: Surgery may be required if the injury results in loss of movement, strength, or sensation.
  
  
• Dislocations: A dislocated joint that cannot be manually reduced or one that results in permanent instability.
• Infection: Open wounds or deep lacerations that involve the bone or joint may require surgery to clean the area, remove infected tissue, and prevent further damage.

Hand trauma surgery can treat a wide range of conditions, including:

• Fractures 
• Dislocations
• Tendon Injuries
• Ligament Damage
• Nerve Damage
• Soft Tissue Injuries
• Arthritis or Joint Instability

The aim of surgery is to repair these injuries and restore normal hand function, ensuring that our patients can return to a healthy and productive lifestyle.

Lacerations are deep cuts or tears in the skin and may extend into muscles, tendons, nerves, or blood vessels. Depending on the depth and severity, lacerations may require different levels of treatment:

• Minor Lacerations: For superficial cuts, the wound is cleaned, and sutures may be applied to close the skin. Proper wound care is essential to avoid infection and ensure proper healing.
• Deep Lacerations: When a laceration is deep enough to affect muscle, tendon, or nerve function, surgery is often required to repair the damage. The goal is to restore the function of the injured structures, such as reattaching tendons or suturing nerves, in addition to closing the skin.
• Lacerations Involving Nerves or Blood Vessels: If a laceration damages nerves or blood vessels, immediate surgical intervention is needed to repair or graft the affected tissues. This may involve micro-surgical techniques for nerve repair to restore function and sensation.

After surgery, proper wound care, pain management, and possibly physical therapy will be part of the healing process to ensure the best possible outcome.

The length of surgery depends on the severity of the injury. Minor repairs may take an hour, while more complex surgeries could take 2-3 hours.

Recovery varies, but initial healing typically takes 4-6 weeks. Full recovery, including physical therapy, may take several months depending on the extent of the injury.

Yes, physical therapy is often required to restore strength, flexibility, and function after hand trauma surgery. Dr. Assad Bangash will guide you through a rehabilitation plan.

Hand trauma surgery is usually performed under local anaesthesia with sedation, but in more complex cases, general anaesthesia may be required.

As with any surgery, there are risks including infection, nerve damage, poor healing, or stiffness. Dr. Assad Bangash will discuss these risks and how to minimize them.

The timeline for returning to work after hand trauma surgery depends on several factors. Here’s a general breakdown:

• For Desk Jobs: If your work does not require heavy lifting or manual tasks, you may be able to return within 1-2 weeks after surgery, depending on the type of injury.
• For Manual Jobs: If your job involves physical labor, lifting, or repetitive hand movements (e.g., construction, plumbing, or assembly line work), you may need to wait 4-8 weeks or longer, depending on the extent of surgery.
• For Heavy Labor or Sports Jobs: Full recovery from more extensive surgeries, such as tendon or nerve repairs, may take several months. 

Dr Assad Bangash will provide a tailored rehabilitation plan and a more specific timeline for returning to work based on your unique situation.

Some scarring is inevitable, but Dr. Bangash will aim to minimize scars by using careful techniques. The scarring should fade over time, and you will be provided with scar management advice.

Pain management typically involves prescribed pain medications, ice packs, and elevating the hand. Your surgeon will provide specific instructions to help manage discomfort.

Cutis Clinic Brisbane offers expert care under Dr. Assad Bangash, a plastic, aesthetic, and reconstructive surgeon with over 30 years of experience in hand surgery. We focus on providing personalized care and excellent outcomes. Start your hand recovery journey today, contact us to book a consultation with Dr. Bangash here.