Finger Ligament Surgery

Strong bands of tissue in your finger that connect the bones are called ligaments. When you suffer trauma or injury to your finger bones, the ligaments also suffer injury. If non-surgical methods such as icing, taping, rest, medication or splinting fail to resolve your injury, surgery may be necessary.

Identification

• Less serious finger ligament injuries are surgically repairable on an outpatient basis. You get a local anesthetic, and you can return home on the same day. “Surgery for rheumatoid arthritis should be performed by a board certified hand surgeon in a medical center that has both inpatient and outpatient procedures for special medical needs,” says the University of Washington Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine website.

Dislocation

• “A finger dislocation happens when the bones in your fingers that normally fit are no longer in proper alignment, often indicating stretching or damage to the finger ligament,” says the New York University Medical Center website. Damage can occur by forceful twisting, bending or overextending of the finger, or by jamming the end of the finger. Surgery for severe dislocation involves moving your finger bones back into place, which also corrects ligament damage.

Sprain

• A finger sprain can result from falling on your hand, or suffering a blow to your finger. “A finger sprain often occurs during a sporting activity when a player jams his finger into another person, the ball, or piece of equipment,” according to the Sports Science Orthopaedic Clinic. Your finger will be painful and swollen, and your doctor will order an MRI to see how badly the finger ligament is injured. You’ll need surgery if a small piece of bone has broken off or if the ligament is completely torn.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Carpal tunnel syndrome results when the median nerve, which extends from the forearm into the hand, is squeezed or receives pressure at the wrist. This nerve controls sensations to the palm side of your thumb and fingers, excluding your little finger, as well as impulses to small hand muscles that allow movement of the thumb and fingers. Your carpal tunnel, which is a narrow, stiff passageway of ligament and bones at the bottom of your hand, contains the median nerve and tendons. Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome include hand overuse, having a smaller than normal carpal tunnel and using vibrating hand tools. Surgery involves cutting the band of tissue around your wrist to decrease pressure on the median nerve.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

• “Rheumatoid arthritis affects the cells that lubricate and line your joints,” according to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. When your joint tissues become swollen and inflamed, your ligaments and tendons stretch, causing deformity in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis usually occurs in both hands. As damage to your hand progresses, you may need surgery to minimize deformity and maximize hand function. Preventative surgery will remove nodules along your fingers and remove bone spurs that rub against finger ligaments and tendons. For more severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis, joint replacement, joint fusion or removal of inflamed joint lining may be necessary.