Recovery After Brachial Plexus Surgery
Recovery after brachial plexus surgery includes healing of the tissues that were operated on and recovery of lost function. While healing of the tissues is relatively quick, function recovery may take months depending on the procedure you had and the extent of the injury.
After nerve repair, grafting, and transfer, a period of nerve regeneration is required before movement and sensation improved. This can take months to years, depending on the type of surgery performed.
Joint Replacement Surgery:
This surgery is also known as implant arthroplasty. In joint replacement surgery a diseased joint is replaced by an artificial joint. This joint is typically made of metal (titanium) although ceramic based implants are also available. Earlier fusion of the joint surgery was commonly performed for treating diseased joints mostly in the hand and wrist. Joint fusion also known as arthrodesis rectifies the deformity and pain however it results in loss of motion and can be very disabling. Joint replacement allows motion at the diseased joint, thus improving the quality of life.
Limb Replantation
Limb replantation is a complex microsurgical procedure that allows patients to have severed limbs reattached or “replanted” to their bodies. Most patients need limb replantation within hours of experiencing traumatic injuries.
Depending on the type of injury, surgical specialists can replant some severed limbs. Replantation is more common for upper arms, hands, and fingers.
Congenital Hand Problems
It is a group of conditions where the hands of children are different in form in terms of shape, number, or length. Examples would include syndactyly and thumb duplication. Patients usually have an X-ray taken of their hands and corrective procedures planned after a detailed consultation with the child’s parents to understand their expectations.
Post-traumatic Deformity
This is caused by inadequate treatment of acute trauma is another area of surgery. These patients present with a deviation of their fingers or scissoring on making a fist and are mostly to have malunion of a previous fracture. After appropriate imaging, corrective osteotomies are performed to improve the alignment and function of the fingers.