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Whether you are suffering from severe carpal tunnel syndrome or dislocated your wrist in a slip and fall accident, surgical procedures that focus on this part of the body should only be performed by a highly experienced plastic surgeon. Dr. Yaghoubian of LA HAND INSTITUTE has fellowship training in orthopedic Hand Surgery and microsurgery. When conducting these procedures, she seeks to restore all wrist, hand, and finger function, as well as make the patient’s hand look as normal as possible. Call her office or schedule an online appointment to discuss Hand Surgery in Tarzana.
There are various reasons why someone in Tarzana may come to Dr. Yaghoubian for Hand Surgery. Among the most common reasons for these surgeries include:
Depending on the cause of someone’s hand pain or damage as well as the problem the doctor is trying to address, a wide range of surgeries can be performed.
This type of Hand Surgery in Tarzana entails the use of wires, plates, splints or casts to realign broken bones and hold them in place as they heal. With this form of treatment, the broken bones within the hand are stabilized through temporary immobilization to ensure proper healing. Options for fixation hand and wrist fractures depend on the severity, placement, and damage of the break.
A fixation surgery could repair broken or dislocated fingers and wrist joints to improve hand functioning. Benefits of a fixation procedure include a reduced risk of infection in the bone, maintaining bone strength after healing, and a better chance of normal function after surgery. Further, this procedure reduces the risk of joint stiffness after treatment for improved functioning ability.
A closed reduction repairs broken bands within the hand by manipulating the pieces into their correct potions and alignment without invasive methods. If a broken bone is unstable, an open reduction is a better treatment option. With this type of procedure, the broken bones are placed into the correct alignment and position using surgical methods to ensure successful results.
Deciding which type of hand operation is best for a specific injury requires X-rays to determine the severity of the condition. Though an open reduction poses more risks, it may be more effective for more severely broken hand bones.
Tendons connect the muscles to the bones and allow for joints to move when muscles contract. Tendon injuries can occur as a result of infection, trauma, or sudden rupture. Damaged tendons may lead to significantly limited ability to move, as well as joint pain or weakness in the affected areas.
Our Tarzana practice offers tendon repair surgery to restore mobility within the hands while decreasing accompanying joint pain. The procedure repairs damaged tendons by bringing together the torn ends with sutures if enough healthy tissue is present. If there is significant tendon damage, a tendon graft or transfer may be a more suitable option for restoring hand function.
Furthermore, surgery can be used to correct specific tendon conditions. Tendonitis, or inflammation of the tendons, may be reduced with surgery to restore function and reduce pain. If a person has hand pain, or if they cannot bend or straighten one or more fingers, they may wish to consider surgery for tendon repair.
Any injury in the hand can damage the nerves, resulting a loss of function and feeling. Symptoms of nerve damage within the hands include numbness in the fingers, hand weakness or paralysis, abnormal tingling sensation, difficulty holding items, and frequently dropping things. Restoring the hand’s nerves through surgery reduces physical discomfort and restores hand function for better mobility and life quality.
There are three primary nerves within the hand that could benefit from repair surgery if damaged. The radial nerve supplies sensory input to the thumb and index finger, and the ulnar nerve supplies stimulation to the palm’s side, ring finger, and pinkie. The median nerve, which results in carpal tunnel syndrome when injured, supplies sensation to the middle finger, index finger, ring finger, and the palm’s surface.
If the nerve is cut or severed, it may be fixed by reattaching it to the other end of the nerve. Alternatively, a hand surgeon may complete a nerve graft, which involves replacing the damaged nerve with nerves taken from other areas of the body to restore mobility. If a cut nerve is not surgically fixed, the nerve’s ends attempt to grow back together independently. However, this typically results in a clump of nerve ends that is sensitive to pressure and bumps, which can be extremely uncomfortable.
Generally, surgery is done as soon as possible after the injury. After a hand nerve repair, particularly for one involving a cut nerve, the nerve begins to regenerate and improve over several months. A bruised or sprained nerve typically takes around six to 12 weeks of recovery time.
Beyond the typical hand and nerve surgeries, other procedures are available to treat various conditions.
A common type of nerve compression syndrome is carpal tunnel syndrome. It is a . Symptoms of the condition include muscle weakness, pain, and numbness around the nerve compression. For the hand, carpal tunnel occurs when the median nerve within the wrist that extends between the thumb and upper arm is compacted.
Moderate to severe carpal tunnel syndrome cases require surgery for correction. The surgery reduces pain and numbness within the hand by cutting ligaments around the nerve to relieve pressure.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that occurs when the cartilage between joints wears down, resulting in bones rubbing together. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, and inflammation at the affected areas. Correcting the condition with surgery involves fusing the bones to reduce rubbing and the associated symptoms.
Fusing the joints restricts the joint’s movement to reduce pain and stiffness. Another surgical option is joint reconstruction, which uses soft tissue from other areas to replace missing cartilage.
Repetitive motions or injuries could result in the tendons rubbing against bones, leading to tendonitis. Symptoms of hand or wrist tendonitis include dull pain, stiffness, mild swelling, and decreased mobility. Inflammation of the tendons may require surgery to treat severe cases.
Surgery to treat tendonitis aims to increase the amount of space between tendons to relieve pain and stiffness. If the tendon is significantly damaged, our surgeons can repair it to relieve symptoms.
Surgical hand procedures in Tarzana require anesthesia, but it can vary between local, general, or intravenous anesthesia. Local anesthesia injected into the surgical site is best for more minor procedures that are quick. In addition, nerve blocks may be used to numb specific areas, such as the wrist or fingers.
General anesthesia is typically for more extensive hand surgeries, like complex fractures or nerve repairs. In some cases, this approach is best for patients with high anxiety before surgery. However, this approach poses the most medical risks, which could exclude some patients from general anesthesia.
Most hand surgery patients in Tarzana require physical therapy afterward to regain hand function, mobility, and strength. However, physical therapy is typically an extremely slow process since the hand is a critical body part for normal functioning. Therefore, the process could include various therapies for better results, including splinting, hand exercises, heat, massage, traction, and nerve stimulation.
Hand surgery patients should understand that it might take several months to regain full mobility and function again. However, being consistent with physical therapy could significantly shorten the recovery period, reduce discomfort, and restore hand strength.
Patients must refrain from using their affected hands during recovery unless for activities approved explicitly by Dr. Yaghoubian. In addition, a critical consideration when completing physical therapy and throughout the recovery process is to minimize movement to prevent reinjury. For example, bumping, lifting, or painful movements to the hand could reverse the surgical corrections and require an additional procedure.
In addition, patients must avoid lifting or moving things with their hands while still wearing a cast, bandage, or splint. As a result, having another person aid with physical tasks during the first few weeks of recovery after hand surgery is ideal.
Another unique service that our practice offers is cosmetic procedure that helps manage the effects that aging has on the appearance of a patient’s hands. Radiesse®, the only dermal filler approved by the FDA for use on the hands, is made of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA). This non-surgical treatment plumps that hands, masking protruding veins for an instantly more youthful appearance.
If you are thinking about receiving Hand Surgery in Tarzana, you should contact LA HAND INSTITUTE to discuss your options. Dr. Yaghoubian is a highly trained hand surgeon whose passion is to help people improve their everyday lives. For more information about the different types of procedures our doctor could perform, call today.
Additionally, our practice accepts most major insurances. For an accurate estimate of the surgical expenses covered by a specific health insurance provider, individuals should contact a representative who can assess each unique case. Dr. Yaghoubian seeks to provide exceptional surgical care to every individual in Tarzana.