YELINA PÉREZ S. yperez@laestrella.com.pa
People who one day lost the use of their upper extremities have hope. New treatments are emerging. A specialized hand healing center is about to open in Panama. 2013-07-01 12:00:00 AM PANAMA.
Have you ever considered that the hand is the organ we use the most in our body? They are 100% involved in each of the activities we perform on a daily basis. And to perform them properly, they must perceive sensations and movements. However, some congenital or acquired diseases, or an accident, can alter their function.
That is when medical specialists in hand traumatology use the microsurgery technique as a solution, one of the newest methods to treat fractures. It consists of an operation to repair arteries or place prostheses and is performed with the help of a microscope.
This method is one of the specialties of Cuban-American surgeon Alejandro Badia, considered one of the pioneers in performing reconstructive surgeries of the hand and upper extremities.
TYPES OF DISORDERS AND SOLUTIONS
All those workers who handle heavy equipment are constantly prone to suffering a hand accident, sometimes leaving one unusable. To be able to reconstruct it, an appropriate specialist is required.
“The novelty is that these traumas can currently be solved with a minor surgery,” expresses Badia, who is also an expert in arthroscopy operations, which is nothing more than the opening of small cavities where an arthroscope is introduced—a device with a thin tube based on fiber optic technology, a lens system, a video camera, and a light that allows the anatomy of a joint to be seen on a screen. This technique is very common in operations for degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis or arthrosis.
Late reconstruction is another solution “for those people who have had an elbow fracture as a child and this brings pain and instability as a consequence. The important thing is to understand that if you have a problem from the tip of the finger to the shoulder, you have to look for the expert in that field who will give you the solution you need,” details Badia.
Regarding Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), a condition that causes pain and numbness between the thumb and the wrist, due to pressure on the median nerve and several tendons, the specialist points out that it is a myth to believe that this arises due to the constant use of computers. “It is a metabolic problem, mostly hormonal, and it happens to women during and after pregnancy and in menopause.” Similarly, people with diabetes or thyroid problems are going to suffer from CTS.
IS APPEARANCE IMPORTANT?
According to Badia, for societal reasons, appearance is indeed important. “Especially us Latinos who are used to talking with our hands.”
For example, a child born with a congenital deformity in their little hand, let’s say they are missing a finger, I simply reconstruct that missing part. “I normally do it in infants six months and one year of age,” added Badia.
When doing this type of surgery, the idea is that there are no scars left, and that can be improved with reconstructions. It is a matter of aesthetics more than anything.
RECOVERY AND REHABILITATION
Since the hand is a very sensitive part of the body, it may or may not have pain depending on the surgery. “If it is a microsurgery it will not cause pain, but if it is an open surgery, in this case we prescribe oral or injectable medication,” explained plastic surgeon René Crisanto Mora Esquivias.
But how long will the hand be immobilized without being able to resume normal activities? That will also depend on the type of surgery performed, whether microscopic or open. To help with the recovery of an open operation and give the hand the most complete functionality possible, we recommend a rehabilitation plan (physical and occupational therapy) under the direction of a specialized doctor.
“This therapy can include hand exercises, heat and massage, nerve stimulation, splints, traction, and special bandages to control inflammation,” says Mora Esquivias. Keep in mind that surgery is only the beginning of recovery. It is crucial to follow the physical therapist’s instructions and complete the treatment plan if you want to achieve maximum functionality of your hand, recommends Crisanto.
CENTER IN PANAMA
Due to how important this upper extremity is for people, medical specialists in this field recently met in Panama for a possible opening in the coming years of a trauma emergency center. It would be, in this case, the Badia Hand to Shoulder Center, which is located in places like Miami (United States), Jamaica, Brazil, and soon in Dubai. “People can go there just with fractures, cuts, and sprains; all without prior appointment, the idea is to give a quick and effective solution to their problem,” noted Alejandro Badia.
He considered that the important thing about being a doctor is impacting a person’s life. “For me, the best compliment is when a person tells me they went back to doing what they used to do with their hands.”
