Looking after your hand
After your operation, we bandage your hand with wool and crepe. This protects your wound and keeps your hand gently immobilised (unable to move).
The dressing reduces swelling and makes you feel more comfortable.
To help your recovery, follow this guidance:
- Leave the bandage in place and keep it dry, for 4 to 5 days.
- Keep your hand raised, so that your wrist is above your elbow. This is especially important for the first 48 hours after your surgery.
- We may give you a sling to help keep your hand raised during the day time.
- At night, keep your arm raised up on pillows.
Important information
Do not let your hand hang down, especially for the first 48 hours after surgery.
Pain and flexibility
You may experience mild pain or discomfort when the local anaesthetic has worn off. This usually happens 4 to 6 hours after the operation.
We may prescribe painkillers, but most patients do not need them. You can buy over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol, as necessary.
Remember to move your fingers, elbow and shoulder joints to prevent stiffness.
While wearing your hand bandage, try the following finger exercises as soon as possible:
- straighten your fingers completely
- make a claw and a fist with your fingers
- spread your fingers as wide as possible
- touch each of your fingertips with the tip of your thumb.
Your wound dressings
After 5 days you may remove all the dressings yourself and apply a self-adhesive, breathable dressing over the wound area.
In the first week afterwards, the wound is usually slightly bruised and swollen.
Contact your GP if you notice any of the following:
- noticeable redness or tenderness
- numbness (lack of feeling), cold or change of colour of your fingers.
These may be signs of infection in the wound site.
Everyday activities
Washing
Do not worry if the wound gets slightly wet during a shower or a bath soon after surgery. Just let it dry up and reapply the dressing (we will supply a dressing for you to take home).
If we have given you plaster of Paris to keep your hand immobile (not moving), leave the dressings on and keep them dry. Do this until a doctor or physiotherapist has reviewed your progress at your follow-up appointment.
Some patients will see a hand therapist, who will provide a thermoplastic splint to wear as soon as possible (at the latest, two weeks) after surgery. This will be lighter and easier to manage.
Driving and return to work
If you have regained full movement and are reasonably comfortable without the dressings, you may drive a car after one week.
Do not drive while your hand is bandaged and splinted.
Timing of your return to work depends on your occupation. We will have discussed this with you before the operation.
Wound healing
Your wound should heal within 12 to 14 days.
If we have used non-dissolving stitches, the nurse will advise you when and where they will be removed (at your GP or at Kingston Hospital Outpatients). They will discuss this with you before you go home.
If we have used dissolvable stitches, you will need to make an appointment with your GP for a wound check, after 7 to 10 days.
Scarring
Although the wound heals within the first two weeks after surgery, the wound scar will keep changing for up to 6 to 8 months.
In the first 6 weeks it is often pink or red, firm and tender. This is normal. Regular use of an everyday skin moisturiser, combined with simple massaging of the scar, may speed up healing.
Try to wash the scar with soap and water, and moisturise it, as soon as the wound has healed.
Contact information
Day Surgery Unit Advice Line, Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm
Out of hours, calls diverted to Kingston Hospital Alex Ward
For NHS emergency and urgent care, call 111 or come to the Kingston Hospital Emergency Department (A&E)