Ligaments, tendons and nerves surgery

Tendon repair is surgery done to treat a torn or otherwise damaged tendon. Tendons are the soft, band-like tissues that connect muscles to bone. When the muscles contract, the tendons pull the bones and cause the joints to move.

When tendon damage occurs, movement may be seriously limited. The damaged area may feel weak or painful.

Tendon repair surgery may be helpful for people who have tendon injuries that are making it difficult for them to move a joint or are very painful.

When hand surgery to repair the torn ligament is necessary, it’s often done arthroscopically. Arthroscopic surgery for a scapholunate repair uses very small incisions and causes less trauma to the tissue than conventional surgery. Surgical repair may include debriding the torn ligament—which involves cleaning up the damaged ligament tissue so new, healthy tissue can grow—or, in severe cases, repairing the tear with sutures anchored to the bone. This may also necessitate realigning the bones and anchoring them in place with pins so they don’t pull the healing ligament apart. Surgical repairs may take several weeks in a cast or splint to ensure the return of proper wrist function following surgery.

Dr. Durand offers the latest treatment options available for patients with nerve injuries. Surgical treatment is decided on a case-by-case basis, and depends on the location, duration, and type of nerve injury.

The goal of surgery is to improve function of the affected area in the upper extremity. If the nerve is thought to be repairable, surgical treatment may consist of:

• Nerve decompression
• Nerve repair
• Nerve graft

If nerve repair is not an option, a tendon transfer may be recommended. Tendon transfers borrow extra tendons from other parts of the hand or forearm to perform a function that is lost due to the nerve injury. The tendon chosen so the patient does not have loss of function with use of the donor tendon.