The Hand Surgery Unit at Shaare Zedek Medical Center handles a wide range of diseases, symptoms, and deformities of the hand, such as carpal tunnel release, trigger finger release, microscopic surgeries, wrist and elbow arthroscopy, elbow reconstruction and replacement, and trauma (complex fractures, tendon/nerve injuries, and more).

Treatments Performed at the Unit

The unit innovates surgical methods and uses advanced technologies, such as surgical planning with 3D printing. This technology enables the treatment of congenital and acquired deformities (post-fracture) and allows for maximum precision and results. The unit is recognized for rotation and specialization, training young doctors for hand specialization, with residents coming from within and outside the institution.

Complex Paralysis Involving the Hand

The department has extensive international experience in this field, including the development of treatment plans for patients with spastic hands resulting from cerebral palsy, brain injuries from car accidents, stroke, etc.

• Tendon transfers and osteotomies in cases of paralysis from birth injuries.

• Carpal Bones Malacia: A variety of surgeries to restore vascular insufficiency of the wrist bones, such as in necrosis of the lunate bone, scaphoid bone, etc. The techniques vary at different stages of the disease and are highly advanced, allowing for the rehabilitation of the affected bone or improvement of functional status.

• Complex wrist fractures: Using minimally invasive surgical intervention techniques.

• Congenital deformities: Correction of Club Hand, Madelung Deformity, missing fingers, extra fingers, lengthening of fingers or individual bones, and pollicization.

• Causalgia and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy: Complex treatment plans, special dressings, and a combination with alternative medicine with proven success.

• Development of special dressings and fixations for the patient's well-being and to reduce morbidity after complex surgeries and fractures.

Medical Conditions Treated by the Hand Surgery Unit

• Soft tissue diseases: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), Trigger Finger, Tennis Elbow (Epicondylitis), De Quervain's tenosynovitis, Dupuytren's contracture, and other tendon tunnel stenoses.

• Nerve compression diseases: Carpal tunnel stenosis, Guyon's canal stenosis (ulnar nerve compression at the wrist), ulnar nerve compression at the elbow, and radial nerve compression higher up the forearm.

• Nerve and tendon injuries: Suturing and rehabilitation of nerves and tendons, including grafts for missing parts or various tendon transfers.

• Fractures and dislocations of the hands, wrist, and forearm bones: Treatment of complex problems of fractures and dislocations and their complications, using advanced internal fixation techniques with pins, compression plates, and screws made from advanced metals, and now also biodegradable implants. The unit uses minimally invasive surgical techniques.

• Vascular bone injuries: Avascular necrosis of the distal radius (Kienbock's disease), scaphoid bone, and others. The unit uses a variety of advanced techniques for surgical treatment, including revascularization of the necrotic area with a vascularized bone graft.

• Pediatric deformities: Deformities resulting from incomplete or partial development of bones. Surgical treatment of deformities through bone cutting and repositioning (osteotomies), bone lengthening, joint stabilization, separation of joined fingers, tendon and muscle transfers, equalizing bone length, transforming a finger into a thumb, and improving the function of hands with severe deformities.

• Complex paralyses: Cerebral Palsy (CP), other brain injuries, and hand paralysis due to cervical spine injuries. Rehabilitative and surgical treatment for paralysis resulting from birth trauma.

• Tumor removal surgeries: Removal of tumors from soft tissues and bones, and bone grafts in the missing area.

• Integration of complementary medicine treatment methods before and after surgery, and in a different type of rehabilitation.

• Treatment of infections and toxic injuries to the hands.