Hand and Arm Surgery
Overview
Hand and arm surgery may be used to treat conditions that affect the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow. Examples of hand and arm conditions that may require surgery include carpal tunnel syndrome, congenital hand deformities, tennis elbow, loss of a limb or finger, cysts and tumors. Although surgery is rarely the first treatment for most of these conditions, it may be among the first to consider for trauma such as a broken wrist or an arm fracture.
Hand and arm surgery may be performed by orthopaedic, plastic and general surgeons, as well as neurosurgeons. Some hand surgeons specialize in conditions of the hand, while others may treat conditions affecting the entire length of the arm. The shoulder is typically not included under hand and arm surgery and is considered its own specialty.
