Hand reconstruction surgery may be needed when the hand or fingers have been damaged by a burn, accidental amputation, congenital malformation, or an injury from a fall or other accident. Advanced hand surgery may require advanced microvascular surgery to reconnect severed nerves and blood vessels or rebuild the hand tissues to achieve better function and appearance.
Custom Hand Reconstruction
The process of hand reconstruction is always 100 percent customized, as every patient has a unique situation to resolve. For high-quality hand reconstruction surgery, performed by a plastic surgeon who employs the most advanced techniques, meet with Dr. Balinger at Balinger Plastic Surgery in Houston at a no-cost, private consultation.
Hand reconstruction techniques – what do you need?
Skin Grafting
Some hand reconstruction procedures will involve skin grafting to repair lost skin tissue, whether to a burn or other issue that led to skin loss. The skin will be harvested from another body area and then transferred to become viable on the damaged area of the hand.
Severed nerves
If a nerve in the hand is severed in an accident, the ability to control hand motion can be affected. Severed nerves may be reattached to attempt to regain better hand function, or nerve grafts can be performed if the severed hand nerve is no longer viable.
Flap hand surgery
When more than skin has been lost, flap surgery can be performed to transfer skin and tissue to the hand and rebuild it. Skin and tissue, along with the blood vessels, are transferred to the damaged area, the blood vessels attached to restore a healthy blood supply to the rebuilt area of the hand.
Hand tendon repair
When the tendons in the hand are damaged due to trauma, hand function can be dramatically reduced. The network of tendons in the hand make this surgery one of the most complex and challenging, and may require a staged approach with several surgeries to achieve the best result.
Some other procedures may be required, such as joint replacement, and your treatment plan will reflect the extent of the issues you are experiencing. Dr. Balinger is uniquely qualified to take on even the most complex hand function or appearance issues.
Planning your surgery at Balinger Plastic Surgery
At Balinger Plastic Surgery in Houston, we are deeply committed to ensuring your journey is comfortable, safe, and produces a superior result. In planning your surgery, Dr. Balinger will evaluate your condition, discuss the surgical approach needed, and through reviewing your health history, ensure you are safe for the surgery. In advance of your surgery, you can help speed healing by ensuring you eat healthy foods, avoid alcohol, and stop smoking (if you smoke).
The surgery, step by step.
Hand reconstruction surgery is most often an outpatient procedure performed at Balinger Plastic Surgery in Houston. To ensure you are comfortable throughout the process, local anesthesia and intravenous are administered. In some cases, general anesthesia is used for longer, more complex hand surgeries.
Once the anesthesia has taken effect, your custom surgery will begin. As every patient has a unique situation, the precise set of steps will vary but may include grafting skin, tissue transfers, reattaching a severed finger or damaged tendons and nerves with microsurgical techniques.
Once the hand has been repaired, it will be bandaged, and you will be released to return home, driven by another adult. The healing time varies based on the extent of the procedure, but in any case, you will have several post-op appointments with Dr. Balinger to ensure your recovery is proceeding as it should. He and his team are always available to answer any of your questions or concerns and provide an exceptional level of personalized support and care during your recovery.