Surgical Treatment Options for Hand Arthritis
Hand surgery might be just about the last thing that comes to mind when medical procedures are mentioned. Your hands, however, play a vital role in your life. Just think about it. Fortunately, most hand issues can be dealt with surgically.
There are a number of reasons why you may need hand surgery. Some of the most common reasons include arthritis, hand trauma, infections, or severe pain. Each of these ailments requires a different type of procedure. The most common types are listed below.
When you bash, twist or yank a part of the hand, you are often doing tendon damage. Tendons can split, fray or break. Fortunately, doctors are versed in putting them back together, but recover time can be up to a month.
Arthritis is a price you pay as you age. It is a terribly painful problem. Replacing arthritic joints is becoming more common in hand surgery. Your crusted over joints are replaced with artificial ones made of plastic and silicone. Relief is immediate and range of movement drastically improved.
Skin flap surgery is often needed for those that have been burned on the hands. This surgery is similar to skin grafting since it takes skin from other parts of the body and applies it to the hands. Most of the time, this procedure is highly effective, since the circulating blood of a patient will help the skin to heal properly.
We all have that friend or family member that has lost a finger. Surgeons are all familiar with replantation surgery, which is essentially putting the finger back on. They even can use artificial fingers these days if the original is lost or too damaged.
Cosmetic hand surgery is also becoming more popular these days. You might have unsightly veins or other issues you do not like. A surgeon can pursue various techniques to get rid of them. It is a specialty area, so make sure to use an experienced surgeon.
If you are a candidate for reconstructive hand surgery, you should know that complications from this type of surgery are minimal. Almost all patients recuperate from these procedures without any trouble at all. The good news is that you will have the use of your hands once this surgery has been completed.
