Upper Extremity Surgery

Suffering from pain in your hand, wrist, elbow or shoulder can keep you from enjoying life. The physicians at Texas Health Center for Diagnostics & Surgery provide treatment options for conditions affecting the hand and upper extremities, including arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fractures of the hand and wrist, torn rotator cuff, sports and work related injuries, nerve compressions and trauma.

Common hand and upper extremity procedures performed at Texas Health Center for Diagnostics & Surgery include:

Elbow arthroscopy

The elbow is a joint that provides a variety of motions and movements. Arthroscopy surgery may be considered when flexibility and loss of motion occur and the condition does not respond to nonsurgical treatment. The physician inserts an arthroscope, a tubular instrument with a light and camera, through a small incision to view inside the elbow joint and make repairs. Arthroscopic elbow surgery is often referred to as “scoping the elbow”.

Shoulder Arthroscopy

Much like an elbow arthroscopy, the surgeon will insert an arthroscope through a tiny incision in the shoulder to determine if surgery is an option.

Ligament surgery

Ligaments are the tissues around joints that help maximize strength and stabilize the joint. Ligament injuries are typically partial tears, called sprains, and are very common. If the injury does not respond to nonsurgical treatment, your physician make recommend you consult with a surgeon to determine which ligament surgery option is right for you.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused when there is excessive pressure on the median nerve, located in the wrist. Symptoms may include numbness, tingling, weak grip and pain, and can lead to muscle damage in the hand and fingers. Symptoms often improve without surgery, but if your surgeon recommends surgery, the most common procedure is cutting into the ligament that is pressing on the nerve.

Rotator cuff repair surgery

For those experiencing pain, loss of function and weakness in the shoulder, and nonsurgical treatment hasn’t improved strength and movement, rotator cuff repair surgery may an option. A surgeon will first examine your shoulder with an arthroscope, a tubular instrument with a light and camera, to assess the tear and determine if surgery is an option. If surgery is performed, the surgeon will reattach the torn tendon to the humeral head.