Hand Surgery

Before/Post Hand Surgery Recommendations I

The type and duration of aftercare depends on the scope of the illness and of the surgery performed. It also hinges on the progress of individual wound healing. Your physician will brief you on the exact details. In the following, you will find a few general recommendations for what you should – and should not do – before or after surgery:

ASS

ASS – acetylsalicylic acid is a blood thinning analgesic drug. If at all possible, patients should stop taking ASS and all other medications containing acetylsalicylic acid 10-14 days prior to surgery. If the surgery is minor, stopping the administering of said drugs 7 days prior to the procedure is sufficient. If you are administering ASS for critical reasons, an individual decision as to the necessity of heparin replacement therapy will have to be made.

Positioning of the hand post surgery

Post surgery; keep your hand above heart level. If you fail to follow this advice, tissue fluids will be stored in the hand, which will result in an extended swelling phase and delayed wound healing. During the day, stretch your hand completely above your head several times. While resting at night, keep your hand above heart level by placing it on a pillow.

Pain

Pain causes stress on your body and can delay wound healing as a result. The level of pain is perceived very differently by different individuals and usually subsides considerably on the second or third day after surgery. For this phase you will be prescribed pain killers, some of which you can take as a prophylaxis even while the pain is mild. next