Crush wounds and blunt trauma

There are 27 bones in the hand, as well as multiple nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The hand and wrist are vulnerable to penetrating and blunt trauma involving the nerves, vessels, tendons, and joints as well as crush injuries that can damage the complex musculature of the hand.

Blunt trauma is often the result of assault or traumatic injuries while crush wounds often occur at the workplace with heavy equipment or machinery, but can even be caused by closing your hand in a door or while moving furniture.

How are crush and blunt trauma wounds treated?

Treatment will depend on the severity and type of injury. After you have been evaluated, your hand surgeon will know which structures of the hand have been injured and what treatment may involve. Crush injuries and blunt trauma injuries require emergency surgery to repair the damaged structures of the hand and restore functioning.

Complex reconstructive surgery may be needed to restore or improve the functioning of the hand after such an injury. This may involve tendon repair surgery, tendon transfers, nerve repair, bone fixation, joint fusion, joint arthroplasty and skin grafts, depending on the nature of the injury. As specialists in hand surgery, your surgeon at the Garden Route Hand Surgery will assist you in both surgical and non-surgical treatment of this type of injury, ensuring the best possible functioning of your hand. After recovery, physical therapy may be needed to enhance mobility and restore functioning.