All of the surgery that we perform on the hands is performed under local anaesthesia in a hand block. Because the needles we use are very thin, the injection cannot be felt very much and the anaesthetic is nothing to worry about.

All surgery on the hand is performed with the area empty of blood; a blood pressure cuff is placed around the wrist and inflated. In this way we prevent blood from coming into the hand and the surgeon can see better, which facilitates the surgery itself. After the surgery, expect to be picked up or travel by taxi; you should not drive yourself home.

The day after the surgery, we call you from Kaernan Orthopaedic Clinic to hear how it has gone – have the analgesic drugs worked well, has the bandage has become loose, is it wet through or does it need to be replaced?

The stitches are removed 2-3 weeks after the surgery by us or the district nurse. The length of sick leave varies between different surgeries and the job you have.

In all operations the hand and fingers swell. The swelling usually settles after a few months, and it is possible to control this if you have your hand in a raised position above the heart and actively move your fingers after the surgery.

You must keep in mind that surgery always involves some risk. There may be an infection or other complication which results in the hand not getting better or even becoming worse than it was before the surgery. The risks are small but you should have real difficulties before deciding on surgery. 80-90% of people are satisfied with the operation.