Hand, Wrist & Elbow Surgery in Ventura County

Improving Pain & Mobility

Mobility issues or pain in the lower arm, wrist, hand, or fingers can have a serious impact on your productivity and quality of life. Our hands and lower arms are comprised of many bones, joints, muscles, nerves, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels, and skin, all working together in a delicate balance. If any of these elements are injured or diseased, impairment may result. If you have pain and/or mobility issues in your hands, wrists, or lower arms, the doctor to see is a hand specialist.

What Is a Hand Specialist?

Hand surgery is a dedicated subspecialty of orthopedic and plastic surgery. Hand specialists focus on conditions affecting the hand, wrist, forearms, and elbow. Before a surgeon can be board-certified in hand surgery, they must complete at least 1 full year of specialized training after their initial five to seven year residency.

Common Hand, Wrist, and Elbow Procedures

Carpal Tunnel

This surgery relieves the numbness and “pins and needles” sensations of carpal tunnel syndrome. The surgeon makes one or more incisions in your palm to cut through the ligament that is putting pressure on your median nerve.

Trigger Finger

Trigger finger occurs when the tendon in a finger becomes inflamed. The finger gets stuck in a bent position and then snaps straight. While this can usually be treated without the need for surgery, if the thickened affected tendon is stuck, surgery may be needed to free it.

Elbow Bursitis

Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursae, small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles near the joints. Severe cases of elbow bursitis may require arthroscopic surgery.

Finger Joint Replacement

While this is not a common procedure, finger joint replacement is sometimes performed in older patients who are experiencing pain and disability due to severe arthritis in the hand.

Fracture

Depending on the location and severity of the break, a fracture to your hand or wrist may need surgery to heal properly.

Dupuytren’s Surgery

Dupuytren’s contracture is a hand disorder that causes thick, disabling scarring in the fingers and palms. In severe cases the fingers curl down into the palm. Hand surgery is performed to release the fingers by removing the buildup of abnormal tissue.

Ganglion

This kind of cyst in the hand or wrist can become painful and/or interfere with mobility. Surgical removal is the most effective treatment.

Golfer’s Elbow

Like tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow is a repetitive motion injury. While discomfort from tennis elbow occurs on the outside of the elbow, the pain of golfer’s elbow originates at the inside. If conservative treatments don’t work, your surgeon may use a technique called ultrasonic tenotomy, in which a vibrating needle is used to destroy damaged tissue.

Tendon Injury

A ruptured tendon due to an injury or rheumatoid arthritis usually needs surgical repair.

Tennis Elbow

This painful repetitive motion injury affects your grip. Ultrasonic tenotomy is an effective minimally invasive procedure to destroy damaged tissue in the elbow.

Tommy John Surgery (UCL Reconstruction)

Named after former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John, who underwent the first surgery of this type, this procedure involves replacing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) on the inner side of the elbow with a tendon taken from somewhere else in your body.

Thumb Arthritis

The trapezium is a bone in the wrist below the base of the thumb. If arthritis develops there, it can be quite painful and make it hard to use your hands. Your hand surgeon may recommend an operation to remove the joint and/or the trapezium.

Wrist Replacement

In this procedure an arthritic or otherwise damaged wrist joint is replaced with a prosthesis.