Why would hand and elbow surgery be needed?

Joints of the hand and elbow can suffer damage due to trauma and disease. This damage can be corrected with various surgical treatments, depending on the severity of the condition.

Some common conditions that affect the joints of the hands and elbows include:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that affects the median nerve in the wrist. This nerve runs through the carpal tunnel in the arm and can cause pain and numbness when under pressure.
• Trigger Finger
  Trigger Finger is a condition that occurs when there is swelling in the tendons of the fingers or thumbs. This swelling causes trigger-like pain in the fingers and can also limit the mobility of the fingers too.
• De Quervain’s Tendonitis
  De Quervain’s Tendonitis is characterised by swelling in the tendons of the thumb and wrist, which can cause pain and discomfort.
• Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
  Cubital Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that causes tingling and numbness in the fingers due to pressure on the ulna nerve of the arm.
• Ganglions and Cysts
  Ganglions and cysts are build-ups of fluid that can occur in the joints of the fingers, wrists and other joints of the arm.
• Osteoarthritis
  Osteoarthritis causes wear and tear of cartilaginous tissues in the body. In the hand, the most commonly affected area is the base of the thumb. When the cartilage in the thumb wears away, this causes grating between the bones, which in turn causes pain and further damage to the bone.
• Tennis Elbow
  This is a condition characterised by inflammation in the tendons of the upper arm. These tendons allow for elbow, wrist and finger movement and can, therefore, affect mobility in the arm when inflamed.