Specialty
Hand surgery in Barcelona
Diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the hand and fingers: nerve compression, tendons, arthritis, Dupuytren's, fractures and benign tumours.
The hand is a structure of great precision: 27 bones, dozens of joints, flexor and extensor tendons, three main nerves and a network of small vessels. Any disturbance, from night-time tingling to a fracture, can significantly affect daily life and work.
Hand surgery is the specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of all these structures. Dr Marta Martí Puente devotes her practice to this area, with specific training in hand surgery, microsurgery and upper limb reconstruction, and holds consultations at several centres in Barcelona and its metropolitan area.
An approach that starts with diagnosis
Not all hand complaints require surgery. A good proportion of consultations are resolved with an accurate diagnosis and well-planned conservative treatment: splints, rehabilitation with hand therapists, injections or adaptation of activities. When surgery is indicated, it is explained clearly, including what it involves, the expected recovery and the risks.
Techniques
Depending on the condition, conventional open techniques, minimally invasive surgery under local anaesthesia (WALANT) and microsurgery for the repair of nerves and vessels are used. For wrist injuries, arthroscopy allows diagnosis and treatment through incisions just a few millimetres long.
Hand surgery in Barcelona
Dr Martí Puente consults at Hospital El Pilar, Centre Mèdic AXA and the Àptima centres in Sabadell and Terrassa. If you have a problem with your hand, you can book an appointment directly at whichever centre is most convenient for you.
Conditions
Hand conditions treated
- Carpal tunnel Night-time tingling, numbness in the fingers and loss of strength caused by compression of the median nerve at the wrist.
- Thumb base arthritis Pain and loss of strength at the base of the thumb caused by wear of the trapeziometacarpal joint.
- Trigger finger Clicking, catching or locking of the finger when bending and straightening it, sometimes with a small painful lump in the palm.
- Dupuytren's Progressive thickening of the fascia of the palm that forms nodules and cords and eventually bends the fingers towards the palm.
- Tendon injuries Cuts, ruptures and detachments of the tendons that move the fingers: from mallet finger to deep wounds requiring urgent repair.
- De Quervain's Pain on the thumb side of the wrist when pinching, rotating or lifting weight, caused by irritation of the sheath around the thumb tendons.
- Finger osteoarthritis Pain, stiffness and nodes in the finger joints caused by cartilage wear, especially in the joints closest to the nail.
- Thumb sprain Pain and instability at the base of the thumb after a fall or sudden pull, caused by injury to the ulnar collateral ligament of the metacarpophalangeal joint.
- Guyon's canal Tingling in the ring and little fingers and loss of hand strength caused by compression of the ulnar nerve at the wrist.
- Rheumatoid arthritis A chronic inflammatory disease affecting the joints and tendons of the hand, which can cause deformities and tendon ruptures that surgery helps to treat.
- Hand tumours Most lumps in the hand and wrist are benign, but every lump deserves a diagnosis: cysts, soft-tissue tumours and bone tumours.
Treatments
Hand surgery treatments
- MicrosurgeryTechniques carried out with a surgical microscope to repair the nerves, arteries and veins of the hand, and reconstruct tissue after severe injuries.
- Tendon surgeryRepair, release and reconstruction of the flexor and extensor tendons of the hand, followed by rehabilitation with a hand therapist.
- Minimally invasive surgeryTechniques with small incisions, local anaesthesia and a day-case regime that reduce surgical disruption when the injury allows it.
- Carpal tunnel releaseSurgery that divides the transverse carpal ligament to decompress the median nerve when conservative treatment is not enough.
- Dupuytren's surgeryTreatment of finger contracture caused by Dupuytren's disease by fasciectomy or needle fasciotomy, when the contracture limits hand function.
- Trigger finger surgeryRelease of the A1 pulley so the flexor tendon can glide again without catching, with removal of the pulley cyst when present.
- De Quervain's surgeryRelease of the first extensor compartment to relieve pain at the base of the thumb when conservative treatment has not been enough.
Frequently asked questions
What does a hand surgeon do?
When should I see a hand specialist rather than a general traumatologist?
Do most hand surgeries require admission?
Do you have a hand or wrist problem?
Book an appointment with Dr Marta Martí Puente for a specialist assessment.
