Tendon & Nerve Repair / Reconstruction
Tendons are the structures that join muscle to bone. Hand and finger tendon repair in the hand is a challenging surgery because of the structure of the tendon – and needs to have meticulous technique to allow return to normal function.
Tendon injuries can occur due to infection, trauma, or sudden rupture.
The 3 types of tendon repair involve: primary, delayed primary, or secondary tendon repair.
- Primary Repair of a sudden injury is often done within 24 hours of the injury. The aim is to repair the tendon to allow gliding and movement of the finger.
- Delayed Primary Repair is usually done a few days after the injury, usually when there are other injuries which have to be attended to first.
- Secondary Repairs may occur a few weeks after the injury. This may include tendon grafts: we harvest other tendons from other areas of the body which are then inserted in place of the damaged tendon. Other more complex procedures may involve using functioning tendons and redirecting them so their function replaces the more important functions of the damaged tendon.
Trauma or injury to your hand can damage the nerves found in the hand. This can cause a loss of hand function and a loss of feeling in the hand. While some nerve injuries heal on their own, others may require surgery.
The best time for nerve repairs on the hand is usually primarily (immediate) or delayed (3-6 weeks after the injury) depending on the cirumstances.
The earlier and more accurate the repair, the higher the chance of a full recovery. If the nerve is cut or severed, it may be fixed by reattaching it to the other end of the nerve, or by performing a graft where another nerve is talen from another part of the body, replacing the more important but injured nerve.
Once surgery is done, the nerve will recover at a rate of about 1mm per day. Recovery will involve wound care, physiotherapy and nerve stimualtion.
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