My hand operation

Just got back from the hospital with lots on my mind about what to do. Back in april my hand got broken thanks to a car door and had two k wires fitted into the fifth metacarpal left hand. this went fine until getting back to work and on the bike i noticed the pain and lack of movement.

its been five months now and i have two choices, live with the pain or have the joint fused. that would be cutting the joint out putting a plate in and a bone graft which still might not stop the pain

look another alternative (if any has been suggested) if not do the Op - you’ll eventually give in to the pain anyway

being as i work with my hands fixing machines and running them on a daily basis its important i can get on with things plus im left handed.

the down side is its another 6 weeks off of work and will take awhile to settle.

has anyone had something like this done as im not sure what would be best. sorry about the splitting of posts this phone is od

get a second opinion… especially when you are told to do an op :ermm:

i would say try the op route, if you think you got pain and loss of movement now wots it gonna be like in l8r life etc?

I would take the opp now - whilst you’re still young (can recover quickly) and have less obligations in your life.

I have had three opps this yer on my left hand to fix a broken finger.

Broke it snowborading, and didn’t do anything until 2 weeks later when the pain failed to fade. Had the first opp with screws, which didn’t work, and then had opp 2, with a metal plate and pins which did work.:smiley:

However, failed to have movement in the finger. Had opp three to stretch the tendons in the finger which also has work, to a certain degree.

There was an option for a forth opp, to have the plate removed and get the tendons relased, but decided not to, as i happy with the movement now.

How bad is the pain (scale 1-10), and when do you feel it (i.e. cold)? Maybe send me a PM if you wanna talk about it, as i was given the decision of opp three and opp four at the same time, so i know what it’s like :w00t:

the pain is 1-2 doing nothing, after abit of work say an hours graft its 7-8 and i keep getting a random sharp pain in the wrist. to top it off it gets me when im trying to relax and itll be a dull ache about 4 for no reason whenever it likes lol oh yeah and 20 mins of riding its 5 after 2 hours its too much. theres no way ill take pillion again hurt way too much

I’d do the op after a second opinion. like martin said though do it now while your young and independent. good luck with it mate.

Where exactly do you get the pain?
In the shaft of the metacarpal bone?
or at one end of it - ie near the wrist or knuckle?
I’d be suprised that they would want to fuse a joint in your dominant hand even if it is just in your pinky as you will lose range of movement.

its at the base by the wrist. the ball joint end snapped diaganally which is where the pain is coming from, theres on 20% movement now

no wrist action!!?? :w00t: :rolleyes: :smiley:

:rolleyes:…:laugh:

If you only have 20% movement now and they plan to fit a prosthetic joint, I’d be tempted to try it.
Did they try to inject it to see if they could numb the pain?

haha git! theres not much wrong with the wrist in a full circle it gets tight and hurts from 5 - 8 o clock movement and the random stabbing is fun :s

I broke my left thumb a couple of years ago basically I broke the first bone and tore teh ligament from the second joint.

there was a bit of cunfusion over what had actually happened, the hospital couldnt be sure if it had torn the ligament or not and so I had to wait two months before they decided to operate.

now the joint is fused because of scar tissue but I have full use of my hand because I adapted quickly around it.

I know it’s not exactly the same as your situation, but the outcome may be similar. If it does get fused then you will learn to use it in a different way, but maybe not to the full extent. I’m still getting gradual movement back and slowly building it back to ful strength. but on those really cold days, or when I need a tough grip with my left hand it can be a problem.

Basically you’re never gonna be good as new, but how much of a compromise are you willing to accept?

nah no injections has been offered i think as its a bone problem. would of been an easy fix if it broke the shaft and not the joint

you never said: have you gotten a second opinion?

Tough choice, but seeing how you are impaired as it is, I’d go for a course of action that’d give you a chance to make things better, even if it would involve some down time.

Get it done in the winter, that way you won’t miss out on too much good riding time :wink:

well the first doc said nope thats it just wait and itll settle. what a help he was. the new one had me have an mri and more xrays so atleast he wants to help and not aid his target scores