Hand Surgery Faculty
Back row: Shelby Lies – VA Parkland UTSW, Douglas Sammer UTSW And Parkland, Andrew Zhang – Parkland
Front row: Jonathan Cheng, CHST and UTSW, Jennifer Kargel – VA and CHST, and Purushottam Nagarkar – Frisco and CHST
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New Patient Appointment or 214-645-2353
For patients suffering from degenerative conditions of the hand, overuse injuries, or hand trauma, orthopaedic and plastic surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center provide customized surgery plans to help alleviate symptoms and restore function.
We’re experts at evaluating, diagnosing, and treating both minor and complicated hand injuries and diseases. We also offer revisions to previous hand surgeries.
UT Southwestern’s orthopaedic and plastic surgeons have more than 60 years of combined experience treating every type of hand injury and condition.
Our experts are fellowship-trained specialists who:
Our team is renowned for expertise in the replantation of severed fingers and hands, precisely restoring function. Our hand and peripheral nerve specialists work together using advanced microsurgical techniques to reconstruct arteries, veins, or nerves; restore blood flow; and transplant tissue within the body, such as a toe to thumb transplant.
In addition, our orthopaedic surgeons are skilled in the latest techniques for both wrist and elbow trauma and reconstruction surgeries.
Back row: Shelby Lies – VA Parkland UTSW, Douglas Sammer UTSW And Parkland, Andrew Zhang – Parkland
Front row: Jonathan Cheng, CHST and UTSW, Jennifer Kargel – VA and CHST, and Purushottam Nagarkar – Frisco and CHST
Conditions that often respond to surgery include:
Symptoms of hand injuries or conditions can include:
To diagnose a hand injury or condition, we start with a physical exam and patient history, taking time to find out how the injury is affecting a patient.
We might order imaging tests, such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or ultrasound, to better evaluate the injury and rule out other conditions. For patients’ convenience, these imaging studies are done in the same building as the hand clinic.
When nonsurgical treatments fail to control the symptoms, our doctors work with patients to determine if surgery is the best course of treatment.
We offer a full range of surgical options, including the newest and most effective endoscopic procedures, computer-assisted 3D surgery, and innovative microsurgical techniques.
In each case, we create a comprehensive treatment plan to account for the patient’s age, activity level, and goals. The surgeon will also discuss with the patient his or her potential recovery time, which varies depending on the injury and the type of surgery.
When hand surgery is required, we will perform the least invasive procedure possible for the condition.
Hand surgeons were among the first to use minimally invasive surgery, in which a surgeon makes a small incision and inserts a tiny camera. The camera enables the surgeon to perform the procedure through the incision using small surgical instruments. Minimally invasive surgery is most often used to treat carpal tunnel syndrome and to diagnose and treat certain sources of wrist pain.
Minimally invasive surgery offers several important benefits compared to traditional surgery, including:
If a patient is not a candidate for minimally invasive surgery, an open surgery might be required. For example, a fracture might require open surgery to align the bones and secure them in place. But even when such a traditional surgery is needed, advancements in open surgery techniques are enabling our surgeons to use the smallest incisions possible, which improves recovery times.
Our most common hand surgery procedures include:
For patients with traumatic hand injuries who require specialized treatment, we offer new types of bone plates and biologics such as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), which supplements problematic bone healing. We also offer noninvasive enzyme treatment for Dupuytren’s contracture, which enables us to avoid surgery in many cases.
We might also use advanced grafting and flap surgery techniques to move skin, tissue, fat, blood vessels, or muscle from a healthy area of the body to the injured area. When needed, we use minimal incisions to allow the soft tissue to heal alongside the bone and avoid complications.
Postoperative care is crucial to ensure patients regain full use of their hand. Following the operation, our surgeons work with certified hand therapists within our clinic to create a comprehensive treatment plan for each patient. If a patient prefers to visit a therapist closer to home, our team can help locate one.
Postoperative care typically includes rehabilitation to help regain movement and strength in the hand. We also might recommend fixation devices or technologies to help ensure the best result possible.
Bringing the best of hand surgery closer to you in Dallas and Frisco. Call us at 214-645-2353.
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