I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Hand Surgery Lawyer. There are some procedures that surgeons perform more often than others, and hand surgery is a standard procedure type in the medical field. Within the area of hand surgery, many different kinds of operations can be performed because of the numerous small bones that exist in the region. Patients who are undergoing hand surgery procedures have some relevant facts to keep in mind.

There are many different reasons why someone might need hand surgery. For example, someone who has suffered a bone fracture in any of the bones of the hand could require hand surgery to place the bones back into the original location. If the bones are not in the right spot, this could cause the bones to heal inappropriately, called malunion. Furthermore, someone could need hand surgery due to nerve damage. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a compression of the median nerve where, depending on the severity of the injury, someone could require surgery of both the wrist and the hand. Finally, it is possible for someone to develop an infection or an abscess of the hand. This could require someone to undergo surgery to debride and remove the infection. Regardless of the reasons, hand surgery is a significant operation that every patient and medical professionals should take seriously.

When someone is getting ready to have hand surgery, there are a few different facets to the journey that he or she should expect. First, the patient could either receive a local anesthetic or general anesthesia. In general anesthesia, the patient will be put to sleep for the procedure. With local anesthesia, the patient will remain awake, but the area will be numb. The operation will take different lengths of time depending on the exact nature of the process and the severity of the injury. When the procedure is finished, it is normal to have stitches along with some fluid drainage or even bleeding after the procedure. Patients would also have to take pain medications of varying strengths to take away some of the soreness following the procedure. Patients will be asked to follow up with their surgeon to ensure that the recovery process is going smoothly.

As patients begin their long journey through the recovery process, there are a few aspects of post-surgical care that they should keep in mind. It is normal for patients to feel some pain after the operation is done. However, this pain should not become chronic. Some patients may require narcotic medications to control the pain, briefly, while others should not. Often, patients may feel stiffness in their hand after the procedure. This is normal, and patients should follow the instructions of their surgeon when it comes to stretching the hand, relieving the stiffness, and restoring the range of motion. Finally, some patients could be asked to complete a course of physical therapy to ensure that the function in their hand returns to baseline. These visits could last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, and the course will be tailored to the situation of each individual patient.

There are some complications that every patient should be aware of with surgical procedures. Any time a patient receives anesthesia, there is the possibility of an adverse reaction to the medications. If a patient has an allergic reaction, emergent treatment will be initiated. However, this could cause the medical team to postpone the surgery. During the operation, patients have the potential to lose a significant amount of blood and could require a blood transfusion. While the risk of this type of procedure is minimal, it is always possible. While the procedure is going on, there is a possibility that the patient could contract an infection. This would need to be treated with antibiotics and could cause the patient to return to the operating room so that the disease can be treated and physically removed from the surgical site. Finally, it is always possible that the surgery might not be a  success. In this scenario, the patient would need to return to the operating room so that any errors can be corrected.

Most people understand that surgery is a pricey venture. However, patients also assume that their insurance is going to cover their operational costs. While this might be true, most people are still expected to pay a deductible which could be expensive. Furthermore, some patients may not have health insurance to pay for this procedure. Those that do have insurance could run the risk of reaching their lifetime limit, putting them in quite a bind. In this situation, it is important for everyone to know that there may be legal means to relieve some of this financial stress that patients should explore. It could make a significant difference in the family’s quality of life.

Watch YouTube Video: Hand Fracture Surgery. This informative video explains the common causes of hand fractures and the surgical procedures to correct them.

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Hand Surgery Lawyer. Because of the numerous small structures in the hand, operations in this area can prove particularly challenging. If you or a family member suffered complications following hand surgery, please call me today at 916.921.6400 or (800) 404-5400 for friendly, free legal advice.

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