Patient information
Patient-facing guides to common hand and upper-extremity conditions — what they are, how they’re diagnosed, when surgery is indicated, and what recovery looks like.
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Fusion of the finger end joint
Finger end-joint (DIP) fusion for arthritis: when it is considered, effects on pain and grip, choosing the finger position, healing, risks and recovery.
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Finger osteoarthritis: Heberden and Bouchard nodes
Finger osteoarthritis: symptoms, diagnosis, signs of another cause, hand therapy, splints, medicines, steroid injections and when surgery may be discussed.
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Knuckle joint arthritis
Knuckle (MCP) joint pain and swelling: causes beyond osteoarthritis, tests, warning signs, non-surgical care and joint replacement.
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Proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint arthritis: fusion or joint replacement
PIP joint arthritis (the middle joint of a finger): fusion or replacement, silicone or surface implants, complications, failed implants and recovery.
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Recovering after hand surgery
Recovery after hand or wrist surgery: swelling, pain relief, wound and scar care, hand therapy, getting back to work and driving, and when to get help.
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De Quervain's tenosynovitis
Pain on the thumb side of the wrist: how De Quervain's tenosynovitis is diagnosed, what splints and steroid injections do, and what surgery involves.
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Ganglion cysts
Ganglion cysts of the wrist and fingers: why they form, why many go away on their own, what needle drainage and surgery can do, and the risks.
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Melanoma surgery
Wide local excision and sentinel node biopsy after melanoma: why the margin follows Breslow thickness, what happens on the day, the risks and follow-up.
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Skin cancer surgery
What basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are, why excision is the usual treatment, what margins mean, how wounds are closed, and what recovery involves.
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Thumb-base arthritis
Thumb-base (CMC) arthritis: symptoms, splints, exercises, injections, and how trapeziectomy compares with joint replacement in recovery, strength and risk.
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Trigger finger
Why a finger catches or locks, who gets trigger finger, and how it is treated: splints, steroid injections and a small day-case operation.
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Scar revision and management
A plain-language guide to scar revision and management — why scars form, what non-surgical treatments and scar revision surgery can achieve, and what results are realistic. Written by a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.
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Dupuytren's disease
A plain-language guide to Dupuytren's disease — what it is, what causes it, how it is diagnosed, and the contemporary treatment options including needle fasciotomy and limited fasciectomy. Written for patients by a consultant hand surgeon.
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Carpal tunnel syndrome
A plain-language patient guide to carpal tunnel syndrome — symptoms, diagnosis, conservative care, and when surgery is the right step. Written by a hand surgeon.