Traumatic injuries can cause complex injuries in the hand, injuring multiple tissues including bones, tendons, blood vessels, nerves, and/or skin. Hand surgeons are skilled at repairing these complex injuries, with the goal of improving hand movement and flexibility over time.
The treatment of mutilating injuries is complex and is based on a clear understanding of principles of wound management, fracture fixation, and soft-tissue reconstruction.
Debridement, bony stabilization, revascularization, and soft-tissue cover should be achieved in the primary surgery. Nerve and tendon reconstruction can be performed as delayed procedures. Some injuries can be repaired in a single surgery, but other injuries will need a staged approach or multiple surgeries. Often, multiple parts of the hand need to be repaired, requiring individualized care both during and after surgery.
After the surgery, surgeons work closely with hand therapists to make sure the hand can work as well as possible after the injury.
Reconstructive hand surgery may be necessary to address deformities that occur because of: