Plastic, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery: Hands
The Plastic surgery department is responsible for the assessment and management of surgical hand conditions and injuries. Outpatient and Hand Physiotherapy clinics are provided at all three hospital. Surgical procedures take place in Pinderfields Hospital where we have our dedicated operating theatres and facilities.
About our service
Routine Outpatient Referrals
Our hand surgery consultants review and assess hand conditions referred by GP and cross specialties (commonly rheumatology) in the outpatient department. Further investigations may be required to help diagnosing your condition or planning treatment. X-rays are requested and performed during your first visit. If other investigations are required, these will be arranged for you and the appropriate unit will contact you with details of your appointment, for example for nerve tests or other scans.
In some cases, where no more investigations are required, treatment will be advised at your first appointment e.g. hand physiotherapy, certain splinting or injections. Hand physiotherapy or injection clinic appointment will be arranged, and you will be contacted with details of your appointment.
If a surgical intervention is required, this will be planned for another day. You may be asked to attend a pre-assessment clinic prior to your surgery; this depends on the nature of the procedure and anaesthetics you require.
Trauma Referrals
If you sustain an injury to your hand, you will be assessed by A&E staff. X-Rays will be performed, and your injury will be discussed with our on-call hand surgery doctors as appropriate. If you have a simple hand fracture (broken bone), or mild ligament injury, a splint will be applied to your hand in the A&E, and an appointment with hand physiotherapists will be arranged for you. If your injury involves a complex wound, severe ligament damage or a complicated fracture pattern, you will be seen by our on-call team at Pinderfields Hospital. Adult patients are reviewed in the plastic surgery assessment unit (Gate 28c). Our on-call doctors go to review children in paediatric A&E.
Some injuries require splintage with regular review and follow-up by hand physiotherapists. Other injuries require surgical intervention. Surgery may take place on the same day of assessment or in the following few days. Appropriate timing and treatment plan will be explained by the on-call doctors.
Conditions we treat
Surgical Procedures
Most of surgical procedures are performed as day case. If you require admission for a night or more, you will be very well looked after by our specialized nurses and doctors in Gate 28 or Gate 40, until you are medically safe and well enough to go home. Many of hand surgeries do not require a general anaesthetic. You can be fully awake, with your arm ‘numbed’ by 'regional anaesthetic block'. After surgery, you will receive follow-up care from our team of specialist hand physiotherapists.
Hand Therapy
Our hand physiotherapists run their daily clinics at the three hospitals. They provide wide range of services including:
- Assessment and follow-up of hand fractures that don’t require surgical fixation.
- Assessment and follow-up of soft tissue injuries that don’t require surgical repair.
- Follow up of surgically fixed hand fractures and surgically repaired tendons, nerves and other soft tissue damages.
- Follow up of non-traumatic hand conditions.
- Making customised splints and garments specific to patient’s requirement.
- Hand mobilisation and exercise programmes.
- Scar management.
- Sensory re-education and desensitisation.