Hand injuries and deformities can interfere with your ability to carry out everyday tasks, cause you pain, and adversely affect your appearance. Fortunately, many hand issues can be corrected or at least reduced via surgical intervention. But what should you expect from the hand surgery process? This blog post shares some general information about what may happen before, during, and after your procedure.
Before Your Surgery
Before your surgery, you may have one or more pre-op appointments. Your surgeon will need to learn about your medical history and perform a thorough examination. Based on what they learn, they can determine what they need to do in order to optimize your results.
At any point during the pre-op process, feel free to ask questions and bring up any concerns that pop into your mind. Your surgeon and their team want you to feel confident about the road ahead.
The Surgical Process
There are several different types of hand surgery, each of which is designed to address specific problems. The exact steps your medical team will take during your procedure depend heavily on the nature and extent of the condition that they are striving to correct.
Regardless of the details of your surgery, you will be under anesthesia. It may be regional or general anesthesia; it depends on your health and the extent of the planned procedure. Either way, you should feel little to nothing while your surgeon is working.
The Recovery Process
Your surgical team will provide specific post-op instructions to reduce your risk of infections and other problems after your surgery. For example, you may need to take certain medications, apply ice to reduce swelling, and perform hand therapy exercises to strengthen your muscles and promote normal function.
Most people can return to work within 2 – 4 months of their surgery. Of course, that depends on your job and its physical requirements. Complete recovery may take several months to a year or longer. As long as you are patient and carefully comply with your surgeon’s instructions, you can expect your healing process to go smoothly.
Hand surgery can seem like a big undertaking! Talk to your surgeon so you understand the road ahead and have realistic expectations about the kind of results you can expect.
Meet the Practice
Dr. Irvin M. Wiesman completed a Hand and Microvascular Surgery Fellowship at Washington University in St. Lous, and he is also proud to be a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. He has helped patients who are coping with a range of issues, including carpel tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and more. If you have questions about hand surgery, he and our team would be pleased to speak with you. Contact our Chicago office at 312-981-1290.
