IBJI Blog

What Does Hand Surgery Fix?

Hand surgery is a hybrid of many of many types of techniques usually performed by a wide range of specialists like orthopaedic, plastic, vascular, and neurosurgeons.  It is used to treat a number of problems from repairing nerves to replacing tendons. Hand surgery specialists can treat both chronic (long term) hand pain and acute (recent onset) hand pain. The most commonly treated conditions and injuries treated by hand surgery physicians are:

• Injury – sudden break, tears, and dislocations
• Carpal tunnel syndrome - damage to the never that passes through the carpal tunnel
• Metacarpal bossing – a mass in one of the joints of the hand
• Rheumatoid arthritis – a rheumatic disease causing inflammation (link to RA article)
• Dupuytren’s Disease – one of the fingers is bent inwards and cannot be straightened
• Congenital defect – a condition that is present from birth

What Is Dupuytren’s Disease?

Dupuytren’s disease is a genetic condition that affects about 5% of adults in the United States. This condition gradually causes the normally smooth sheet of tissue underneath the skin of the palm and fingers to become nodular and cordlike. Ultimately the fingers become bent, stiff and contracted. When the fingers are bent enough to causes problems, treatment is usually required. Typical problems include the inability to flatten the palm on a tabletop, inability to easily shake hands, put on gloves or even put your hand into your pocket. As you can imagine this disease not only causes disfigurement, but also a sometimes severe loss of mobility and function. This loss of function is often the worst part of Dupuytren’s Disease.