Developing pain in your fingers, hand, or wrist could significantly affect your physical functioning abilities as well as your emotional well-being. Whether the discomfort originates in your muscles, nerves, tendons, or bones, there are long-term solutions available that could reduce these painful symptoms. Hand surgery in Encino may be the next right step for you.
If you have more than one area of concern, several procedures may be combined to restore functioning as best as possible. However, since hand injuries are unique to each patient, you should schedule an initial consultation with our board-certified surgeon Dr. Yaghoubian to discuss your symptoms, surgical goals, and potential procedures more in-depth.
Since the hands are used for a countless number of actions, a broad spectrum of problems could develop, whether from genetics, external factors, or repetitive motions. In Encino, frequent reasons for hand surgery procedures include:
Additionally, hand surgery could treat arthritis, Dupuytren’s contracture, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome, in addition to numerous other injuries. Some individuals also routinely undergo hand surgery to treat hand tumors, nerve and tendon injuries, infections, and injuries caused by external damage, such as bone dislocations or breaks.
There are various surgical procedures for the hands, fingers, and wrists. Our clinic frequently performs the following routine procedures for hand surgery patients in Encino.
Treating wrist and hand fractures with fixation techniques involves using casts, wires, plates, or splints to realign and immobilize broken bones. This approach ensures that patients enjoy normal physical functioning after treatment. Procedure approaches vary depending on the injury’s location, severity, and type of damage.
When injury to the hands results in nerve damage to any of the three major nerves, it could result in significant sensation and motor function disruptions, such as hand and finger weakness. Nerve repair surgery reattaches the end of severed or cut nerves to repair the damage and restore functioning. In more severe cases, a nerve graft may be taken from another body area to replace severely damaged nerve tissue in the hands.
Tendons ensure that the bones and muscles are connected and that joints move correctly, so damage to these areas could be debilitating. However, tendon repair surgery could restore functioning by surgically bringing torn tendon ends together. In more severe cases where tendon tissue is lacking, a tendon graft may replace missing tissue and ensure proper healing.
Surgery could take a closed or open reduction approach for broken or dislocated bones within the hands or wrist depending on the injury severity. In less severe cases, a closed reduction may be preferable as this approach realigns the bones without invasive surgical methods. Alternatively, for more complex or severe bone breaks, an open reduction uses typical surgical techniques to align the bones in place adequately.
In addition to routine procedures, hand surgery patients in Encino could undergo specialized operations for specific conditions.
When tendons rub against the bones due to repetitive motions or injuries, it results in swelling, limited mobility, pain, and stiffness, otherwise diagnosed as tendonitis. For severe cases of tendonitis in the hands or wrist, surgical corrections could relieve symptoms by increasing the space around affected tendons and removing affected or inflamed scar tissue from around tendons.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease that affects the cartilage between the joints, causing it to become thin and allowing the bones to rub together. Correcting the condition with surgery may involve fusing affected joints together to minimize their movement and, subsequently, symptoms. Alternatively, surgical treatment could include joint reconstruction with body tissue from other areas to replace insufficient cartilage.
Carpal tunnel syndrome or nerve compression syndrome occurs from repetitive movements or injuries and causes debilitating pain, numbness, and muscle weakness. Surgical correction relieves nerve compression by cutting the ligaments surrounding the compressed nerves to reduce excess pressure.
A frequent question regarding hand surgery is whether patients need anesthesia for an operation. As with any invasive surgery, hand surgery patients in Encino do receive anesthesia beforehand, but it may vary between general, local, or intravenous, depending on the type of procedure. General anesthesia is typical for more extensive operations, such as nerve repairs, while local anesthesia is allocated for more minor procedures.
Additionally, many hand surgery patients wonder whether they will be able to use their hands during the recovery process. Though the restrictions depend on the treated area and specific procedure, minimizing the use of the hands as much as possible during recovery is essential. For instance, patients should avoid heavy lifting, bumping, and any painful movements during recovery, so help from others is recommended.
Many patients will need physical therapy to restore hand, finger, and wrist function after surgery. In these cases, patients may move and use their affected hands in the specific ways approved by their surgeon to restore function and promote healthy healing.
In addition to the various hand surgical procedures in Encino, patients could combine surgery with noninvasive treatments for further enhancements. For example, one prominent sign of aging is declining volume in the hands, but patients could combat this concern with dermal filler injections. Typically, the effects of dermal filler injections on the hands last between 18 and 24 months for most patients.
Though the injection material may vary from collagen, autologous body fat, hyaluronic acid, or calcium hydroxylapatite, every type restores volume underneath the skin. As a result, the hands appear more youthful as wrinkles, fine lines, and loose skin minimize as the additional volume beneath the skin causes it to smooth out.
Treating hand, wrist, and finger injuries, can be challenging as the hands are essential for everyday functioning. However, a board-qualified surgeon like Dr. Yaghoubian at AESTHETICA LA Hand Institute could perform hand surgery in Encino to treat and manage a wide spectrum of injuries, diseases, and conditions that diminish your hands’ abilities.
Routine procedures could correct damaged bones, nerves, tendons, and muscles in addition to managing long-term ailments and their symptoms. Take the first step towards getting better by discussing your concerns, medical history, and possible treatment options with a member of our team. Call now to schedule your hand surgery consultation.