Painless Surgery Procedures for Hand, Wrist, Elbow and Shoulder

New methods are being employed to restore function and eliminate pain from hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. Patients are treated without surgery very successfully. These minimally invasive procedures are used for different joint injuries like:

Metacarpophalangeal (MP) Joint and Proximal Interphalangeal (PIP) Joint

Arthroscopy procedure involves use of two small stab wounds to visualize and instrument the MP joint and PIP joint. Finger connects the hand at metacarpophalangeal joint and middle joint of the finger called as proximal interphalangeal joint. For joint pain and inflammation steroid injection is given. But in case of torn ligament or cartilage injury resulting in enormous pain, arthroscopy procedure will not only diagnose the pain but will provide significant relief too.

EPL Tendon Rupture

EPL (extensor pollicis longus) tendon rupture can occur in case of arthritis and bony spur. This tendon holds the thumb and prevents it from falling into the palm. Tendon rupture can be repaired by tendon transfer that uses the nearby tendon to replace with the damaged one. It is one of the quickest outpatient procedures.

   

Flexor Tendon Injuries

Another traumatic event, an injury in flexor tendon could be life-changing event. These flexor tendons are responsible for bending and flexing the thumb and fingers. It is very difficult to repair the cut flexor tendons as there is no space left for giving sutures. They need to be repaired quickly else they die or become irreparable. Surgery is not very painful and works best along with the hand therapy provided after procedure.

Mucous Cysts, Retinacular cysts and Dupytren’s contracture – An overview

Mucous Cysts

Mucous Cysts are a common cause of finger masses, especially over the tiny finger joint that is closest to the tip. These cysts are a kind of ganglion cyst which generally arises due to an underlying arthritis of that particular joint. 

Aspirating the cyst is the initial treatment recommended. This should not be done by the patients or by inexperienced people. The cyst connects itself to the underlying joint; if an infection is likely to occur, it can spread to that joint, eventually resulting in a serious problem. It is crucial to understand that to remove the cyst permanently, the underlying joint should be addressed.  Mucous cyst excision is a procedure which has proven to be very successful.

Retinacular cysts

Tender masses which appear in the palm near the base of a finger are probably the retinacular cysts. These cysts are simply ganglion cysts coming from the finger’s flexor tendon sheath. The cysts often result in pain when the patient grips objects. Luckily, the cysts are benign and treated easily.

Aspiration is generally successful in the treatment of retinacular cysts. But, as for ganglion cysts in another place, as soon as a cyst recurs, further aspirations may not be the effective form of treatment. If there is a recurrence of a retinacular cyst following a successful aspiration, options are to either live with it or get it removed surgically. Surgery is a very quick outpatient procedure.

Dupytren’s contracture

Dupytren’s contracture is a genetic disorder wherein the fascia of the hand tends to contract, making it difficult for the fingers to extend fully. This condition occurs in people of Scandinavian ancestry. Treatment options include Xiaflex and Needle Aponeurotomy. 

The Most Common Syndromes Involving the Hand, Arm and Wrist

There are several kinds of problems that cause pain in the hand, arm, wrist and fingers. Of the lot, carpal tunnel syndrome, pronator syndrome and ulnar tunnel syndrome are quite significant. 

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that involves tingling, numbness etc. of the hand and arm. It is usually caused due to a pinched nerve in the wrist. Several factors contribute to this syndrome including a few underlying health issues, different patterns of hand use and the anatomy of the wrist. Luckily, proper treatment relieves the numbness and tingling, eventually restoring hand and wrist function. 

Pronator syndrome is a nervous system disorder that causes weakness, pain and numbness in the elbow, upper arm and hand. The syndrome is normally caused due to the compression of the median nerve by either muscles or ligament-like structures present in the forearm. Well, if treated appropriately, the symptoms of this particular syndrome generally resolve. In rare cases, surgery may be necessary. However, these days, there are several non-invasive surgeries performed by expert orthopedic specialists. 

Ulnar tunnel syndrome is another condition involving the hand. It occurs owing to the compression of the ulnar nerve at the wrist. Generally, the ring and small fingers become numb. Symptoms are quite similar to cubital tunnel syndrome symptoms because the same ulnar nerve is involved; however, ulnar tunnel syndrome seems to be less common. Ulnar tunnel syndrome is probably caused by a mass like a ganglion cyst or due to the fracture of an adjacent wrist bone. Nevertheless, by resorting to a reliable medical facility, the symptoms can be treated successfully.

Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex - Injury, Signs & Symptoms

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is located in the wrist between the ulnar bone end and the carpals. It is a complex structure and is a major function is stabilising, cushioning and smooth movement at the radioulnar joint of the wrist. It has an extended triangular shape and consists of –

• The triangular fibrocartilage disc.
• Ulna meniscus.
• Ulnar collateral ligament.
• Several carpal ligaments.
• Extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) tendon sheath.

You can tear your triangular fibrocartilage complex TFCC from various activities like playing sports, fall with an extended arm etc. The TFCC tear can cause pain in the wrist. Other symptoms of this injury include pain on the side of the pinky finger, tenderness on the wrist back. You will experience extreme pain if you bend your wrist sideways. You will also suffer from swelling in the wrist and loss gripping strength. 

In most of TFCC injury, traditional treatment works wonders. This treatment involves adding a splint to your wrist for approximately 4 weeks. After this period a removable splint is added allowing you to move your wrist slowly. Other treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, electrotherapy, mobility and strengthening exercises. 

Another problem that your wrist may suffer is the Kienbock's disease. It is also known as avascular necrosis of the lunate, occurs when the lunate bone in the wrist is damaged due to loss of blood supply. It is a rare and incapacitating disease that can lead to chronic pain and dysfunction. An Australian radiologist Robert Kienböck first mentioned the disorder and thus it got its name after him. 

The National Institutes of Health stated that affected will at first have the feeling of sprain in their wrist. It is progressive disease and hence its symptoms do not fade ways easily. However, the progress of Kienbock's disease is different from patient-to-patient. Initially, the patient suffers from swelling and pain but later the entire mechanism of the wrist is affected.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome- A Painful Condition of Hand Caused By A Strained Nerve

Hand and arm suffer various conditions due to different reasons and one of such condition is Carpal tunnel syndrome. It is a condition that causes symptoms like numbness, tingling and pain in hand or arm. A strained nerve in the wrist mainly causes it. You may suffer from this condition due to various factors such as the structure of your wrist, a few basic health problems and probably patterns of hand use. Carpal tunnel is located on the palm side of the wrist and protects a primary nerve of our hand along with nine other tendons that facilitate fingers to bend. Firmness of the nerve leads to deadness, itchiness and, ultimately, we suffer from hand weakness; and this is what is characterised as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Another condition that our hands suffer is termed as Pronator syndrome. It is a disorder of the nervous system that creates pain, weakness, and insensitivity in the upper arm, elbow, and hand. The main nerve (median nerve) at times is compressed by the muscles and/or ligament-like structures in the forearm and thus causes this condition. The pressure on the median nerve lessens its function causing pain and other symptoms. The compression of the nerve may be cause by swollen or scarred tissue, or soreness of the nerve due to infection. The initial treatment to get rid of this condition engages keeping your arm or hand in rest from doing any activity that aggravates the symptoms. 

Ulnar tunnel syndrome is another painful condition that we suffer in our hand or wrist. It is caused by the compression of the ulnar nerve at the wrist. This nerve is found on the pinkie-finger side of the wrist. You may suffer from symptoms like weakness, deadness and tingling, and pain in the ring finger, pinkie finger, or both. You should avoid activities that cause these symptoms. Applying ice and wearing a splint may relieve you from the pain.

Dr. Jeffrey Budoff - Recommended As a Reputed Orthopedic Surgeon in Texas

Dr. Jeffrey Budoff is an orthopedic surgeon whose focus is to restore function and eradicating pain with the least invasive procedure possible. He has successfully treated his patients without surgery. However, he use the most latest and invasive surgical procedures if any patient requires a surgery and thus minimizes the pain and time of healing. With his residency in Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Budoff specializes in open and arthroscopic surgery of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. He is also a trained surgeon for endoscopic carpal and cubital tunnel release, sports injuries, fractures, and dislocations.

To understand Dr. Budoff’s role as an orthopedic surgeon better, it is important to know what Orthopedic surgery is. It is a surgical procedure used by the doctors for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. Arthritic pain, sports injuries, fractures, tumors and other degenerative diseases are some of the health issues which require this surgery. At present, surgeons often recommend this surgery, as people are increasingly suffering from diseases and conditions such as chronic arthritis or sports related injuries. It has become a major surgical procedure dealing with bones, joints, tendons, nerves, muscles and tissues.

If you are looking for an Orthopedic Surgeon in Texas, then you can consult Dr. Budoff for your all your musculoskeletal disorders and injuries. However, you can follow the below cited steps in order to find a reputed surgeon in your area. 

• Ask for recommendation from your primary health provider as they are sure to know the best orthopedic surgeons in the area. You can also ask for recommendation from your friends or relatives who have undergone similar procedure. 
• You can also check out the surgeons online since many web databases provide search features. These websites provide information on various surgeons who are reputed and expert in their field from among whom you can easily choose the best. 

Mallet Finger- Finger Deformity That Bends the Finger

Our hands are important parts of our body as they act as tools with which we can control all our work as well as our environment. With the constant use of our hands we are bound to get variety of injuries like cuts, bumps, and bruises. Most of these injuries heal without any medical attention. But, there are a few injuries, if perceived as minor initially, can become severe afterwards if left untreated. One of these injuries can be named as Mallet Finger; it is a deformity of the finger in which the tendon that straightens it, is damaged. 

The tendon of a finger is damaged when a ball or any other object hits it and forcibly bends it. The force of the blow tears the tendon and sometimes it may even pull away a bone along with the tendon making it difficult to straighten the finger. If you suffer from this deformity, initially you will suffer from pain and swollen distal IP joint and you won't be able to straighten your finger. If you experience such finger problems than you can treat this with various procedures. Doctors offer various treatments like exercise, splints and surgery for correcting mallet finger. Keeping your finger in rest will also help it to heal quickly.       

If finger injures are not treated well, can sometimes lead to major injuries. Though our bones in the hand are small, we should not treat a broken or fractured finger as a minor injury. The bones in our finger let us perform specialized functions like holding, grasping, carrying things, throwing etc. If a finger fractures, it can make your whole hand out of alignment preventing it to do the day to day work. If you ignore the fracture, your finger may remain stiff and swollen causing pain. Some of the symptoms of the broken finger bone are swelling, tenderness, bruising, inability to move, pain etc.