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Common hand surgeries

What the procedure is, why it's done, what recovery typically looks like — and the symptoms that mean stop and call your team.

Optional: show clinical labels where we cite them.
Surgeries

8 procedures explained

Carpal tunnel release

A short procedure that cuts the tight ligament across the wrist to take pressure off the median nerve.

Why it's done

  • Persistent numbness or tingling in the thumb, index, and middle fingers
  • Symptoms that wake you at night and don't respond to splinting
  • Weakness or thumb muscle wasting

Red flags

  • Increasing redness, drainage, or fever
  • New or spreading numbness
  • Severe pain not controlled by rest and elevation

Recovery phases

  1. Days 0–7 — Protect the wound; gentle finger motion.
    Keep the hand elevated. Move fingers often. Keep the bandage dry.
  2. Weeks 2–4 — Restore wrist motion and light grip.
    Begin gentle wrist range of motion as your surgeon allows.
  3. Weeks 4–8 — Build pinch and grip endurance.
    Add light putty work and return to most daily tasks.
  4. Months 2–6 — Return to demanding tasks; symptoms continue to settle.
    Heavier lifting and sustained gripping return last.
Expected splints: Wrist cock-up splint
Full recovery breakdown

Trigger finger release

A small procedure that opens the tight pulley at the base of a finger so the tendon can glide freely again.

Why it's done

  • Painful catching or locking of a finger
  • Symptoms that don't respond to a steroid injection or splinting

Red flags

  • Spreading redness
  • Drainage or fever
  • New numbness in the finger

Recovery phases

  1. Days 0–7 — Wound care; full finger motion.
    Move the finger gently and often to avoid stiffness.
  2. Weeks 1–3 — Resume most daily tasks.
    Avoid heavy gripping while the wound matures.
  3. Weeks 3–6 — Strength and full grip return.
    Light putty and grip drills as cleared.
Expected splints: Buddy straps
Full recovery breakdown

Flexor tendon repair

Surgical repair of a cut or torn finger flexor tendon. Recovery is highly protocol-driven.

Why it's done

  • Cut or ruptured flexor tendon, often after a laceration

Red flags

  • A sudden 'pop' with loss of finger bending — possible re-rupture
  • Increasing pain, redness, drainage, or fever
  • Worsening numbness

Recovery phases

  1. Weeks 0–4 — Protect the repair; controlled motion in a dorsal blocking splint.
    Strict splint wear; perform exactly the motion your therapist prescribes.
  2. Weeks 4–8 — Active motion without resistance.
    Splint adjustments; more motion, no lifting.
  3. Weeks 8–12 — Begin light strengthening as cleared.
    Light putty; progress only with therapist sign-off.
Expected splints: Mallet finger splint
Full recovery breakdown

De Quervain's release

Opens the tight tunnel over two thumb tendons at the wrist so they can glide without irritation.

Why it's done

  • Persistent thumb-side wrist pain not relieved by splinting or injections

Red flags

  • Spreading redness
  • Drainage
  • Fever
  • Severe new pain

Recovery phases

  1. Days 0–7 — Wound care; gentle thumb motion.
    Use a thumb spica only as your surgeon directs.
  2. Weeks 1–4 — Restore thumb and wrist motion.
    Light functional use returns.
  3. Weeks 4–8 — Strength and full activity.
    Pinch and grip strengthening as cleared.
Expected splints: Thumb spica splint
Full recovery breakdown

Hand fracture fixation

Realigning broken bones and holding them with pins, wires, or a plate so they heal in the right position.

Why it's done

  • Displaced or unstable fractures
  • Fractures involving a joint surface

Red flags

  • Increasing swelling, color change, or numbness
  • Hardware site pain that worsens
  • Fever or drainage

Recovery phases

  1. Weeks 0–6 — Bone healing; protect the construct.
    Splint or cast wear as directed; move uninvolved joints.
  2. Weeks 6–12 — Restore motion.
    Begin gentle motion as your surgeon clears it.
  3. Months 3–6 — Strength and return to full activity.
    Strength work progresses gradually.
Expected splints: Wrist cock-up splint
Full recovery breakdown

Thumb CMC arthroplasty

Removes the worn-out trapezium bone at the base of the thumb and uses nearby tissue to stabilize the thumb. Used for advanced thumb-base arthritis when conservative care fails.

Why it's done

  • Persistent thumb-base pain that limits pinch, grip, or self-care
  • Failed bracing, activity modification, and injections

Red flags

  • Spreading redness, drainage, or fever
  • Sudden severe pain or new instability
  • Numbness or color change in the thumb

Recovery phases

  1. Weeks 0–4 — Protect the reconstruction in a thumb spica.
    Wear the splint full time; move uninvolved fingers gently.
  2. Weeks 4–8 — Begin gentle thumb motion and gradual splint weaning.
    Light functional use returns as cleared.
  3. Months 2–6 — Strength, pinch endurance, return to activity.
    Pinch and grip strengthening progresses with therapy guidance.
Expected splints: Thumb spica splint
Full recovery breakdown

Dupuytren's fasciectomy

Surgical removal of the diseased cords of fascia in the palm to release a finger that has been pulled toward the palm by Dupuytren's disease.

Why it's done

  • Contractures that limit straightening, especially MCP > 30° or any PIP contracture
  • Functional problems — washing the face, putting hands in pockets, shaking hands

Red flags

  • Spreading redness, drainage, or fever
  • New numbness or loss of motion in the operated finger
  • Wound separation

Recovery phases

  1. Weeks 0–2 — Wound care; gentle motion to maintain the gain.
    Elevate the hand and start motion exactly as instructed.
  2. Weeks 2–6 — Night-time extension splinting and active motion.
    Wear the splint at night; do daily motion as prescribed.
  3. Months 2–6 — Maintain motion; recurrence surveillance.
    Continue splinting if advised; report any new cords early.
Expected splints: Mallet finger splint
Full recovery breakdown

Distal radius fracture ORIF

Realigns a broken wrist (distal radius) and holds it with a metal plate and screws. Common after a fall onto an outstretched hand when the bone is too displaced for a cast alone.

Why it's done

  • Displaced or unstable distal radius fractures
  • Fractures into the wrist joint surface

Red flags

  • Increasing pain, swelling, or color change
  • New numbness or weakness
  • Drainage, fever, or hardware-site pain

Recovery phases

  1. Weeks 0–2 — Wound healing, finger motion, swelling control.
    Elevate the hand; move every finger often; wear the splint as directed.
  2. Weeks 2–6 — Begin wrist motion as cleared.
    Gentle wrist range of motion; no lifting or pushing.
  3. Weeks 6–12 — Add light strengthening.
    Putty, light grip work; progress with therapist guidance.
  4. Months 3–6 — Return to demanding tasks.
    Heavier lifting and impact return last.
Expected splints: Wrist cock-up splint
Full recovery breakdown