Hand and Wrist Surgery in Sharjah
Medically reviewed by Dar Al Kamal Team
What is hand and wrist surgery?
Hand and wrist surgery is a group of operations on the small, closely packed structures that give the hand its strength and fine control: bones, joints, tendons, nerves and the tough bands that hold tendons in place. Many of these operations are short, take place through a small incision, and are done while you are awake with the hand numbed.
At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, hand and wrist surgery is performed by the orthopedic surgical team, and the service is shared with Plastic Surgery for soft-tissue and reconstructive work. The goal is to restore comfortable, useful movement for work and everyday tasks.
Who needs it
Hand and wrist surgery is considered when a condition keeps interfering with daily use of the hand despite splints, activity changes or injections. The most common reasons are:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: numbness and tingling in the thumb, index and middle fingers, often waking you at night and eased by shaking the hand, caused by pressure on the median nerve at the wrist.
- Trigger finger: a finger or thumb that catches or locks when you bend it, then snaps straight.
- De Quervain's tenosynovitis: pain at the thumb side of the wrist, common in new parents who lift a baby many times a day.
- Ganglion cysts: smooth, fluid-filled lumps near a joint or tendon.
- Dupuytren's contracture: thickened tissue in the palm that gradually pulls fingers into a bent position.
- Wrist fractures and tendon injuries that need fixing or repairing.
Carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger are both more common in people with diabetes, which is widespread in the UAE. The broader assessment of hand and wrist pain is covered on the Orthopedics and Sports Medicine page.
What happens
Many hand operations are done under local anaesthetic, with an injection that numbs the hand while you stay awake and able to move your fingers when the surgeon asks. Larger operations, such as fixing a wrist fracture, use a regional anaesthetic that numbs the whole arm, or a general anaesthetic.
In carpal tunnel release, the surgeon divides the tight ligament that forms the roof of the tunnel, making more space for the nerve. For trigger finger, the tight band at the base of the finger is opened so the tendon glides freely. A ganglion is removed together with its root at the joint or tendon sheath. Wrist fractures are held with a plate and screws or with wires. The skin is closed with fine stitches and the hand is wrapped in a soft, bulky dressing, sometimes with a splint.
Most hand operations are day cases, and you go home with your hand in a dressing and a sling to keep it raised.
Preparing for it
Tell the team about your medicines, especially blood thinners, and whether you have diabetes. Remove rings from the affected hand before the day, since the fingers swell after surgery. Wear a loose, short-sleeved or button-front top that fits over a bulky dressing.
Plan for a short period with limited use of one hand. If the operation is on your dominant hand, arrange help with dressing, cooking and writing for the first days. You will need a lift home, as driving with a dressing on your hand is unsafe.
Afterwards
Keep the hand raised above the level of your heart as much as possible in the first days to reduce swelling and throbbing, and move the fingers gently as instructed to prevent stiffness. Keep the dressing clean and dry until your review, when the stitches are checked or removed. After carpal tunnel release, night-time tingling often eases quickly, while numbness that has been present for a long time recovers more slowly. Tenderness in the palm is common for a while. Hand therapy exercises, arranged as part of your care pathway where needed, help restore grip and movement, and your surgeon gives you a timeline for your case.
Contact the hospital if the wound becomes red, hot or swollen or starts to leak, if you develop a fever, or if pain increases instead of settling. Go to the emergency department straight away if your fingers become pale, blue or cold, or if severe pain builds inside a splint or cast.
Cost and insurance
Hand and wrist surgery for a medical condition is covered by most UAE insurance plans, and planned operations usually need pre-approval supported by examination findings and, for carpal tunnel syndrome, often a nerve conduction study. Wrist fractures treated through the emergency department are usually covered under emergency benefits. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
Can carpal tunnel syndrome get better without surgery?
Mild carpal tunnel syndrome often improves with a wrist splint worn at night, changes to repetitive activities and sometimes a steroid injection. Surgery is recommended when symptoms persist, when numbness becomes constant, or when the thumb muscles start to weaken, because long-standing nerve pressure recovers more slowly.
Will I be awake for hand surgery?
Many hand operations, including carpal tunnel release and trigger finger release, are done while you are awake with the hand numbed by local anaesthetic. You feel pressure but no pain, and your surgeon may ask you to move your fingers to check the result. Larger operations use a regional or general anaesthetic.
What are the risks of hand and wrist surgery?
Hand and wrist surgery carries risks including infection, stiffness, tenderness of the scar, nerve irritation causing numbness and, rarely, a long-lasting pain condition. Symptoms can return after some operations, such as a ganglion growing back. Your surgeon explains how these risks apply to your operation.
Can a ganglion cyst go away on its own?
Many ganglion cysts shrink or disappear on their own over time, and a ganglion that causes no pain can often simply be watched. Removal is considered when a ganglion is painful, limits movement or presses on a nerve, and the cyst can return even after surgery.
Is a trigger finger injection an alternative to surgery?
A steroid injection is often the first treatment for trigger finger and can resolve it without surgery. If the finger keeps catching after one or two injections, or in people with diabetes where injections work less reliably, a short release operation is usually recommended.
When can I use my hand after surgery?
Light use of the hand for everyday tasks such as eating and typing usually starts soon after minor hand surgery, while gripping, lifting and heavy work wait until the wound has healed. After fracture fixation, the wrist is protected for longer. Your surgeon gives you a timeline for your operation.
Is hand and wrist surgery covered by insurance?
Most UAE insurance plans cover medically needed hand and wrist surgery with pre-approval, and carpal tunnel surgery often requires a nerve conduction study as part of the request. Confirm your cover with Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah on 06 599 7777.
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