Hand Reconstruction Surgery

Our eyes may be the windows to our souls, but our hands are the instruments of our souls’ expression. Writing, typing, and even navigating the web would be much more difficult without fingers. The ability to grasp, feel and manipulate with one’s hands is such an integral aspect of human interaction, not just with others but with machines and the environment. A person who has suddenly lost the partial or total use of her hands would be devastated, and if she has a family to support, that family would suffer as well. Idle hands are the devil’s playground, but no hands at all can be hell itself. Fortunately, cosmetic surgeons have developed cutting-edge reconstructive methods to restore these crucial appendages.

Hand reconstructive surgery has been used to fix all sorts of hand injuries and deformities. Accidents can cause burns, broken bones and ligaments, damaged nerves and severely cut skin. Injuries are not the only causes for problems however, as natural deformities can occur at birth, or, with old age. Babies are sometimes born with webbed fingers called syndactyly, where skin and bone are abnormally merged. As people get older, they may also develop severe arthritis. This can cause limbs to be mangled and useless. There are many different conditions that all involve the hands and fingers, and while there is a different procedure to treat each one, these techniques and methods all fall under the general classification of reconstructive hand surgery. If you think you are a candidate for hand reconstruction, you should search for a board certified plastic or orthopedic surgeon trained in this specialty. If you feel the doctor has performed the surgery successfully a good number of times, then arrange a consultation with him to determine if he will do the same for you, as well.

In an extensive consultation, the surgeon will find out if you are healthy enough to undergo the surgery. Smokers will have to quit long before considering an operation. Cigarettes tend to prevent normal blood flow, and in turn, cause healing problems. A thorough hand examination will determine the type of procedure you will need, and if more than one is required, how and if they should be combined.

Since there are so many different procedures, it may be difficult to discuss all of them in one sitting. However, here are some of the most common techniques. Syndactyly and hand injuries may benefit from grafting skin, bone, nerves, and tissue to the injured site. Amputated fingers can be transplanted using microsurgery. This is a highly precise procedure that uses a microscope when operating on an open incision. The extra magnification helps in reattaching miniscule nerves and blood vessels. Rheumatoid arthritis can be treated by removing inflamed tissue, joint reconstruction, joint repositioning, or implanting artificial joints. Carpal tunnel syndrome can also be surgically repaired. In this case an incision is made to cut the tissue putting pressure on the nerve, thereby restoring feeling and motion. Cysts can also be removed delicately through reconstructive surgery. The length of surgery will depend on the severity of each case.

As mentioned, each case is different and, therefore, healing periods are not uniform. The ability of one to heal faster, due to one’s age or health, also plays a factor. Pain will also have to be managed with standard medication. Doctors will prioritize blood circulation, skeletal fixation, and proper wound closure to prevent edema, infections, and difficult hand motion. Therapeutic exercises that explore all ranges of hand motion will be prescribed as a regimen for recovery. This will also help strengthen the hand, and make bones heal faster. Proper wound dressing, splint placement, and a bacteria-growth free environment are also critical to restoring one’s hand. The time spent in rehabilitation is just as important as the surgery itself to restore the maximum range of motion.