Hand Surgery in Houston, TX
Dr. Christopher Hankins, a highly respected plastic and reconstructive surgery specialist, and author of a landmark paper regarding a 12 year study of endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery, has worked on the hands of men and women throughout Houston, Pearland, Lake Jackson and the surrounding areas of South Houston. Premier Plastic Surgery offers a variety of hand surgeries to help patients regain function of their hands and fingers.
What is Hand Surgery?
Hand surgery is performed by physicians specially trained in treating that delicate extremity. Your hand has 27 individual bones, many of them very small and difficult to repair. Injury to one almost always affects several others and it can impair your ability to function with the injured hand.
In addition to 27 bones, there’s an even larger number of ligaments, tendons, and muscles that create a network between the bones, allowing dexterity and fine motor movements. Trauma or dysfunction with one or more of these connecting tissues can cause severe limitations in the motor skills of your hand.
Hand surgery can be done to repair damage from trauma or to restore optimal function to your hand, as in the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, for example.
Types of Hand Surgery
Any time your hand suffers trauma and becomes impaired, it alters the quality of your life. Whether you’re suffering from a traumatic injury or have been dealing with abnormalities you were born with, chances are high that having hand surgery will help you.
Dr. Christopher Hankins operates within this specialized area, offering relief from pain and restoring function, flexibility, and strength to your hand. Some of the hand surgery procedures we offer at Premier Plastic Surgery include:
Since hand trauma injuries are seldom life threatening, patients can come directly to the office after sustaining a hand injury. In the case you have gone to the Emergency Room prior to presenting to the office, please ask for a CD with the x-ray images on it. This can be a big help in determining the extent of injury and can be a big time saver, when time is of the essence. We can amend our schedule as necessary for emergency hand cases.
Trigger finger occurs when there is thickening of the pulleys designed to keep the flexor tendons applied to the bone. The pulleys acts much as the eyes of a fishing rod do to keep the fishing line approximated to the pole. Similarly, the pulleys act to approximate the tendons close to the bone to increase the economy of movement of the fingers with increased tension on the tendon. The tendon can “catch” with the finger in flexion and great force is required to straighten the finger out, which results in a sudden release of the tendon accompanied by pain. In some patients, they may present with an inability to completely straighten the finger. This can be initially treated with steroid injections to the flexor tendon sheath. In the case that this fails, the trigger finger can be released by dividing the tendon pulley. The pulley that is divided is expendable so that no bowstringing of the tendon occurs.
Premier Plastic Surgery offers surgery for the relief of hand and wrist pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome via a specialized two portal technique of endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
Hand Rejuvenation
As you age, your skin becomes thinner and you lose volume. In your hands, this can result in wrinkles and prominent, highly visible, often less-than-attractive veins. You may also see areas of hyperpigmentation, commonly called “age spots.” Hand rejuvenation refers to the procedures used to restore a more youthful appearance to your hands by plumping up the skin and diminishing age-related hyperpigmentation as well as the restoration of volume of the dorsum or back side of the hand.
How Much Does Hand Surgery Cost in Houston, TX?
Sometimes hand surgery qualifies for insurance financing but every case is different depending on your coverage options and insurance company. When you meet with Dr. Hankins our team can determine the applicable payment methods for your hand surgery. If insurance doesn’t cover your procedure we offer several financing options.
If you’re currently suffering with issues in your hand, contact our office today. We can schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Hankins to discuss your needs and determine the best option for you. Premier Plastic Surgery is proud to serve residents in Houston, Pearland, Lake Jackson and the neighboring areas of South Houston.