Hand Center
The Hand
The hand is one of the most used and complex parts of the body. Intricate in design and function, it represents an amazing work of anatomic engineering. The movement of tendons, bones, tissues and nerves in your hand allows you to grip and perform a wide variety of activities ranging from writing, preparing meals and dressing yourself to holding hands and taking part in hobbies such as gardening, golfing or creating works of art. Life would be drastically different without fully functional hands.
Because of how much we use them, hand injuries and conditions are fairly common and account for nearly 10% of hospital emergency room visits. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that approximately 110,000 workers yearly lose time from work due to hand and finger injuries.
Our Center
At the Andrews Institutes Hand Center, we understand that even the smallest hand injuries require expert medical attention. Our center is led by a team of caring, experienced orthopedic physicians with specialized training in the management and care of simple and complex hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and upper extremity injuries and conditions including:
- Trauma
- Tendonitis
- Arthritis
- Dupuytren’s disease
- DeQuervain’s tendonitis
- Cubital tunnel disease
- Trigger finger
- Ganglion cysts
- Nerve compressions such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Sports injuries including fractures and dislocations
Our goal is to provide rapid and accurate initial evaluation and leading-edge treatment methods to minimize short and long-term effects on the hand and upper limb. Our team offers cost-effective surgical and non-surgical treatment options for patients of all ages including on-site certified hand and occupational therapy.
Specialty Equipment and Procedures
- Treatment Plans and Procedures: Experts at the Andrews Institute Hand Center create tailored treatment plans for patients with congenital, traumatic and acquired conditions of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow. From complex post-traumatic reconstructions and caring for acute sports injuries to simply providing relief from chronic arthritis, our physicians specialize in leading-edge treatments using evidence-based medical procedures and technologies.
- Specialty Equipment: The Andrews Institute Ambulatory Surgery Center is equipped with microsurgical instruments designed specifically for small joint work. It is one of the few centers in Florida to own and utilize the Leica Varioscope for advanced microsurgical reconstruction of the hand and upper extremity including free tissue transfers and nerve reconstruction. An Implantable Venous Doppler is utilized for postoperative flap monitoring which has shown to be superior to simple visual monitoring of the tissue.
- Research & Outcomes: As part of the Andrews Institute’s mission to advance the science of orthopedics and sports medicine, our hand center physicians take part in year-round research in the Andrews Research & Education Foundation. They also actively track results to ensure highest-quality outcomes, allowing our patients to return to activities faster than ever before. They are also active members of major national and international professional organizations for hand and upper extremity specialists, such as the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
Physicians and Services
The Andrews Institute Hand Center offers patients the benefit of receiving services from fellowship-trained hand and wrist physicians who specialize in the management and care of simple and complex hand, wrist, forearm, elbow and shoulder injuries and diseases. Specifically trained to treat the bones, joints, muscles, tendons and nerves of the hand and upper extremity, they provide expert treatment of those conditions.
The Hand Center also provides access to on-site imaging, including a 3-Tesla MRI and the latest in digital X-ray technology, as well as hand therapy services (occupational therapy) and upper extremity wound management in the 12,000-square-foot Andrews Institute Rehabilitation facility. Occupational therapists who have completed additional training and have received designation as certified hand therapists provide the necessary rehabilitation for maximal positive outcomes of hand disorders. Services such as custom-fabricated orthoses (splints) and a full-range of occupational therapy modalities and devices are used to treat a wide range of upper extremity injuries, diseases and conditions. Work hardening and functional capacity evaluation services are also available.
These services are available on the Andrews Institute campus providing a level of convenience unprecedented in any health care setting. Additionally, the Andrews Institute has several satellite locations offering occupational therapy services across the Gulf Coast.