Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Dupuytren's Disease updates Needle Aponeurotomy and Xiaflex are on Facebook

Dupuytren's Disease New Treatment Updates: Xiaflex and Needle Aponeurotomy

Needle Aponeurotomy and Xiaflex update from the Hand Center of Western MA

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Hand Surgeons Agree: Leave Fireworks to the Professionals

Hand Surgeons Agree:

Leave Fireworks to the Professionals

The American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) has urged the public to leave fireworks in the hands of the professionals.According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 38% of all reported fireworks-related injuries from June 22-July 22, 2001, were to fingers, hands, and arms. These injuries included burns, lacerations, fractures, and traumatic amputation.
Of the finger, hand, and arm injuries, the majority of injuries were caused from accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers— the three firework-types most often used in a backyard environment. Accidents involving firecrackers, bottle rockets, and hand-held sparklers totaled 57% of all firework injuries (source: American Pyrotechnic Association).
One solution that has been offered by the ASSH to individuals is to attend public fireworks displays, which are monitored for safety by a local fire department, rather than setting off fireworks near or around the home.
The following precautions should be taken when attending a public fireworks display:

Obey safety barriers and ushers.
Stay back a minimum of 500 feet from the launching site.
Resist the temptation to pick up firework debris when the display is over. The debris may still be hot, or in some cases, the debris might be “live” and could still explode.
Never give children hand-held sparklers. Sparklers cause 10% of all firework injuries (source: American Pyrotechnics Association)—and were associated with the most injuries to children under 5 years of age. (source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The Hand Center of Western Massachusetts

Keep your hands safe this fourth of July. Enjoy the day and leave fireworks to the professionals

Press Room - News releases

www.nfpa.org

Their PSA features voices of victims whose lives have been tragically altered due to fireworks

portions Copyright © American Society for Surgery of the Hand 2008.
Modified/adapted altered by www.handctr.com from www.assh.org

Tips to Prevent Injuries - Hand Center of Western Massachusetts -

Tips to Prevent Injuries

- Hand Center of Western Massachusetts -

Every year thousands of people in western Massachusetts hurt or injure their fingers, hands and wrists at home, at work and while playing sports. Many of these injuries could have been easily avoided.

Knowing a few preventative measures can help to keep hands safe.

The physicians and staff at the Hand Center of Western Massachusetts have important safety tips that can protect you and your family from unnecessary harm.

Types of Services

Our physician's treat many problems of the fingers, hand wrist, forearms, elbows and shoulders.

Fractures of the fingers, hand, wrist and forearm
Complex lacerations
Nerve problems, including Carpal tunnel, Cubital Tunnel and other nerve compression syndromes as well
as traumatic injuries or lacerations to a nerve
Arthritis and its associated problems including: Rheumatoid, Degenerative, Post Traumatic
and Osteoarthritis.
Tendon injuries and tendonitis including: Non-operative options as well as surgical repair,
tendon transfer, and tenolysis.
Work related problems of the hand, wrist and elbow
Traumatic injuries including: Crush injuries, amputations, and their reconstruction.
Dupuytren's contracture including Surgery, Needle Aponeurotomy and Collagenase (xiaflex) injections
Congenital deformities of the hand and wrist and forearm
"Tennis Elbow" and other tendinopathies near the elbow
Shoulder problems: tendonitis, rotator cuff injuries and bursitis

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE BEEN SEEN AT A HOSPITAL FOR A FINGER, HAND, WRIST or FOREARM INJURY?

Q. What should I do If I've been seen in a local emergency room for a hand, wrist, forearm or upper extremity fracture or injury?

A. It is important that day or night to follow the ER or ED instructions for post injury care. If you are told to elevate or ice or take a certain medication please do as you are instructed. Make sure you fill prescriptions that you may need. If you are not sure whether a medicine given to you by the Emergency Physician is correct call the hospital back and ask. In addition you should arrange for appropriate follow up care with a qualified physician.

Here are 6 important TIPS for delayed and urgent care of HAND AND WRIST FRACTURES that have been seen in a local Emergency Department ...in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut

1.Contact your PCP. They can provide interim care or redirect you.

2. Call us. We like to accommodate potential patients. Unfortunately we cant always accommodate everyone who calls.

3. Call the ER back. Often they can advise you over the phone if you've been seen recently

4. Return to the ER where you were seen. Most ER's will be glad to see you again

5. Call a doctor you know of on your own. There is nothing wrong with seeking care on your own

6. Don't panic. Many hand and wrist injuries once stabilized in a local ER can be seen safely and effectively at a later date.

Most Hospital Emergency Departments will have given you a follow-up for a physician that they regularly work with, THERE ARE SOME TIMES THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A HAND SURGEON ON CALL OR ON STAFF. IN THOSE CASES YOU SHOULD SEEK OUT A HAND SURGERY GROUP IN THE AREA. WHILE THERE MAY NOT BE AN IMMEDIATE APPOINTMENT AVAILABLE RECORDS FROM YOUR ER VISIT CAN BE OBTAINED AND IN MANY CASES AN APPOINTMENT CAN BE GIVEN WITHIN THE PROPER TIME FRAME. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHILE THE ER MAY STRESS BEING SEEN IMMEDIATELY THAT MANY HAND AND WRIST CONDITIONS CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF URGENTLY BUT NOT EMERGENTLY ONCE PROPER ER EMERGENT CARE HAS BEEN GIVEN. However there are conditions that may warrant being seen right away and at times you may be advised to go back to the original ER if you cant be seen in an adequate time frame. Every situation is different. and this information is not to be construed as ultimate medical advice. for the purpose of treatment.

THE HAND CENTER OF WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS
3550 Main Street
Suite 204
Springfield, MA 01107
413 733 2203

The Hand Center

At The Hand Center of Western Massachusetts, we care for the hand, upper extremity, and shoulder, including fractures, tendonitis, lacerations, nerve compression, carpal tunnel, arthritis, and workers compensation injuries, just to name a few.

The Hand Center is devoted to the care of the Hand, Upper Extremity and Shoulder. Our staff wants to provide you with a high quality of care. We are committed to successfully returning you to your daily work and leisure activities.

We strive to work closely with our patients and their families, other medical professionals, employers and insurance carriers to provide you with needed care. We know that the path to recovery from minor to major injuries can be a difficult one. Our highly specialized physicians and caring staff are interested in your success.

Our office is unique in Western New England where orthopedic surgeons and plastic surgeons often work in the field of Hand Surgery but ours is the only practice in the Pioneer Valley that is devoted exclusively to the Hand and Upper Extremity. In New England Orthopedic Surgeons and Plastic Surgeons are often in busy offices that may not have the attention to fine details of your Hand and Upper Extremity needs. At the Hand Center of Western Massachusetts we pride ourselves in this facet of your care. So whether you are having a new problem or have been all over the area and have seen other New England area Orthopedic or Plastic Surgeons seeking care for an upper extremity problem we are happy to consider seeing you in consultation.

Here at The Hand Center of Western Massachusetts our physicians provide the individual attention and care that you need. You will always be seen by one of our highly skilled Hand surgeons at every visit. Our staff and physicians often treat complex problems seen by other Orthopedic Surgeons in the New England area, and we feel that if you are coming to see one of us you should see a physician each and every time.

Doctors Wint, Wintman, and Martin are fellowship trained hand surgeons. Doctors Wint and Wintman are trained in and Board Certified in Orthopaedic surgery with certificates of added qualifications in surgery of the hand. Dr. Martin is Board certified trained in plastic surgery, and has a certificate in hand surgery as well

Our physicians have surgical privileges at Baystate Medical Center, Pioneer Valley SurgiCenter, Mercy Medical Center, Mary Lane Hospital, Cooley Dickinson Hospital and Noble Hospital