Hand Surgery in Nashik: Restoring Movement, Strength and Function

Conditions Treated with Hand Surgery

Injuries

• Cut tendons (flexor and extensor tendon injuries) that stop a finger from bending or straightening.
• Nerve injuries causing numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in the fingers.
• Fingertip injuries, crush injuries and partial amputations.
• Fractures of the fingers and hand bones that need careful alignment and fixation.
• Deep hand wounds needing skin grafts or flap cover.

Nerve compression and overuse conditions

• Carpal tunnel syndrome - pressure on the median nerve at the wrist, causing night-time numbness, tingling and weak grip.
• Cubital tunnel and other nerve entrapment problems.
• Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis) - a finger catching or locking when bent.
• De Quervain's tenosynovitis - pain at the thumb side of the wrist.

Growths and contractures

• Ganglion cysts and other benign lumps of the hand and wrist.
• Dupuytren's contracture -- thickened tissue in the palm pulling the fingers into a bent position.
• Burn scar contractures limiting hand opening.

Congenital hand differences

• Syndactyly (fused fingers), polydactyly (extra fingers) and other differences present from birth.

Carpal Tunnel vs Cubital Tunnel: Telling Similar Conditions Apart

Patients often arrive unsure whether their numbness is carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, or simply a nerve "sleeping" after resting awkwardly. The distinction matters because the treatment differs. Carpal tunnel syndrome affects the median nerve as it passes through a tight tunnel at the front of the wrist. It typically causes numbness and tingling in the thumb, index, middle and part of the ring finger, is often worse at night, and can be triggered by repetitive wrist movements or pregnancy-related fluid retention. Cubital tunnel syndrome, by contrast, affects the ulnar nerve as it passes around the inner elbow (the "funny bone" area) and typically causes numbness in the ring and little fingers, sometimes with weakness gripping objects between the thumb and fingers. Both conditions can be confirmed with a careful clinical examination and, when needed, a nerve conduction study, which measures how well the nerve signal travels and helps decide whether splinting, activity change or surgery is the right next step.

Who Should Consider Hand Surgery

Anyone with an acute injury involving a cut tendon, numbness after a wound, or a finger that will not bend or straighten should be assessed urgently rather than waiting to see if it improves. For gradual, overuse-type conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger or Dupuytren's contracture, surgery is usually considered a good option once symptoms are affecting daily activities, sleep or work, once non-surgical measures such as splinting or injections have been tried without lasting benefit, or once there are early signs of nerve damage such as persistent numbness or muscle wasting, since waiting too long in these cases can leave some deficit even after a technically successful operation. People with mild, intermittent symptoms that do not interfere with daily life may reasonably choose to monitor the condition with their surgeon rather than proceed straight to surgery.

Preparing for Your Hand Surgery Consultation

Because hand problems can have many causes, a focused history speeds up diagnosis considerably. Before your visit, it helps to note:

• Exactly when symptoms started, and whether they followed an injury, a repetitive activity, or began gradually with no clear trigger.
• Which fingers or parts of the hand are affected, and whether numbness, weakness, pain or locking is the main complaint.
• Whether symptoms are worse at night, with specific activities, or in cold weather.
• Any previous hand injuries, surgeries or splinting, and whether they helped.
• A list of your current medicines and any medical conditions such as diabetes or thyroid disease, both of which are linked to nerve compression problems.
• Your occupation and hobbies, since these often influence both the cause and the treatment plan.

Bringing any earlier X-rays, nerve conduction study reports or physiotherapy notes to the first visit avoids repeating tests unnecessarily.

Emergency Hand Injury: What to Do Right Now

• Control bleeding by firm direct pressure with clean cloth and keep the hand raised.
• Do not try to clean deep wounds aggressively or remove embedded objects.
• If a finger or part of a hand has been cut off, wrap the part in a clean, damp cloth, place it in a sealed bag, and keep that bag on ice. Do not put the part directly on ice or in water.
• Go to the nearest emergency department and call our clinic on +91 9890844400 as you travel so that the surgical plan can be started early.

Tendon and nerve injuries are repaired early. Waiting several weeks can make repair harder and outcomes less predictable.

Diagnosis and Planning

Assessment begins with a detailed examination of movement, sensation, circulation and grip strength. X-rays, ultrasound, nerve conduction studies or MRI are advised when needed. Non-surgical treatment such as splinting, activity change, hand therapy or steroid injection is offered first for many overuse conditions, and surgery is recommended when these fail or when the condition is progressive or nerve damage is likely.

How Hand Surgery Is Performed

Many hand procedures, including carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release and ganglion excision, are done as day-care surgery under local anaesthesia, sometimes with a tourniquet to give a bloodless field. Tendon, nerve and fracture repairs and reconstructive procedures may need regional or general anaesthesia.

The technique depends on the problem: releasing a tight ligament or pulley, repairing a tendon with strong sutures, repairing a nerve under magnification, stabilising a fracture, or covering a defect with a skin graft or flap. Dr. Nerkar plans incisions along the natural creases of the hand wherever possible to protect function and reduce visible scars.

Anaesthesia Choices and Safety

Choosing the right anaesthesia for a hand procedure is a balance between comfort, safety and the complexity of the repair needed. For short procedures such as a ganglion excision or a trigger finger release, local anaesthesia alone is usually sufficient and lets you go home almost immediately. A regional block, where the whole arm or hand is numbed by an injection near the nerves higher up the limb, is often chosen for longer procedures such as tendon or nerve repair, since it gives complete pain relief in the operated area while allowing you to remain awake, or lightly sedated, throughout. General anaesthesia is reserved for more extensive reconstruction, for very anxious patients, or for children, and involves the same standard pre-operative checks used for any procedure under general anaesthesia. Whichever approach is chosen, it is explained to you in advance along with what sensation, if any, to expect during and after the procedure.

Recovery and Hand Therapy

The operation is only half of the treatment. Rehabilitation decides the final outcome, especially after tendon and nerve repair.

• Splints and dressings protect the repair for the first days to weeks.
• Supervised hand therapy begins early after tendon repair so that the tendon glides without sticking.
• Simple releases (carpal tunnel, trigger finger) usually allow light use of the hand within days.
• Fracture fixation, nerve repair and reconstruction take longer, and your surgeon will give a milestone-based timeline.
• Scar massage and desensitisation exercises help sensitive scars.

Following the therapy plan is as important as the surgery itself.

Living With a Hand Problem: The Emotional Side

Hand problems can affect far more than the hand itself. Simple daily tasks -- buttoning a shirt, holding a cup, typing, cooking, or picking up a child -- suddenly become difficult or painful, and this can be frustrating and isolating, particularly when the condition has developed slowly and others may not immediately understand why a "small" hand problem is having such a large impact. It is common to feel anxious before surgery on the hands, since we rely on them constantly and consciously in a way we rarely think about with other body parts. Being open with your surgeon and therapist about which specific tasks matter most to you -- writing, playing an instrument, a particular sport, fine manual work -- helps the whole team tailor the rehabilitation plan around what will make the biggest practical difference to your daily life, not just around the anatomy of the repair.

Lifestyle Factors That Affect Hand Surgery Outcomes

Several everyday factors influence how well a hand repair heals and how much function ultimately returns. Diligent, consistent participation in prescribed hand therapy exercises has a bigger effect on final grip strength and finger movement than almost any other single factor, so attending sessions and doing home exercises as instructed matters greatly. Smoking narrows blood vessels and reduces oxygen delivery to healing tissue, which can slow tendon and nerve healing and increase the risk of wound problems, so stopping around the time of surgery is strongly encouraged. Keeping blood sugar well controlled in patients with diabetes supports nerve healing and reduces infection risk. Protecting the hand from repeated strain, heavy lifting or vibration until your surgeon confirms the repair has matured also reduces the chance of a repeat injury to the same structure.

Long-Term Outlook

For many overuse conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger, most patients notice meaningful relief of numbness, tingling or catching within the first few weeks, with continued improvement over the following months as swelling settles and nerves recover. Grip strength typically continues to improve for up to six months to a year after tendon or nerve repair, and scar sensitivity usually fades over a similar timeframe with regular massage and desensitisation. Long-standing nerve compression, present for many months or years before surgery, may leave a small amount of residual numbness even after a technically successful release, which is why earlier treatment generally gives a more complete recovery.

Follow-Up Schedule After Hand Surgery

Follow-up after hand surgery is typically more structured than after many other minor procedures, because therapy needs to be monitored and adjusted as healing progresses. A short review is usually arranged in the first one to two weeks to check the wound and remove sutures if needed, followed by periodic reviews during the hand therapy programme to track movement, strength and sensation. For tendon repairs, fracture fixation and nerve repairs, follow-up typically continues over several months, with milestones agreed in advance so you know what progress to expect at each stage.

When to Seek Urgent Attention After Hand Surgery

Contact the clinic promptly if you notice a splint or dressing that feels suddenly too tight, fingers that become pale, blue or unusually cold, rapidly increasing swelling, severe pain that is not controlled by your prescribed painkillers, fever, or a wound that opens, bleeds heavily or discharges pus. Sudden loss of movement or sensation that is different from what you were told to expect during recovery should also be reported promptly rather than waiting for your next scheduled visit.

Risks and Realistic Expectations

Risks depend on the procedure but can include stiffness, infection, scar tenderness, nerve irritation, incomplete recovery of sensation, re-rupture of a repaired tendon, and recurrence of conditions such as Dupuytren's. Outcomes are better with early treatment, careful surgery and disciplined rehabilitation. Dr. Nerkar explains the likely outcome for your specific problem before you agree to surgery.

Cost of Hand Surgery in Nashik

Costs vary widely: a trigger finger release is a short day-care procedure, while a complex injury may need implants, microsurgical repair, a hospital stay and months of therapy. The estimate depends on the diagnosis, anaesthesia, facility charges, implants and therapy. You will get a written estimate after examination.

Hand Surgery: Frequently Asked Questions

Hand problems rarely get better by waiting. Book a hand consultation at Aakar Aesthetics, Nashik

Call +91 9890844400