Hand surgery

The hand surgery service provided by QVH is recognised, both regionally and nationally, for its excellent high quality service covering a range of elective conditions as well as trauma. It includes consultants with specific interests in congenital hand anomalies; rheumatoid and osteoarthritis; wrist surgery for arthritis and instability; compression neuropathies; and post-trauma reconstruction.

We offer, where appropriate, non-operative and minimally invasive treatment alternatives such as wrist arthroscopy, needle aponeurotomy (fasciotomy) and endoscopic carpal tunnel release.

We are continuously available to manage soft tissue and bony trauma and to provide advice on other urgent problems including tendon ruptures, infections, extravasation injuries and pain syndromes.

Clinical effectiveness

Hand surgery accounts for 80% of the trauma workload of the hospital, with flexor tendon repair the most common injury requiring surgery. In 2010/11 we carried out 156 such procedures. Monitoring rates of rupture of the repaired tendon is one way of monitoring quality of surgery and post-operative therapy.

Rupture rate following repair of flexor tendon injuries

We have also developed a patient reported outcome measure (PROM) for hand surgery.

Full details of our patient safety, patient experience and clinical effectiveness measures are published in our annual Quality Accounts.