The Wrist

In a joint replacement, the abnormal structures of the joint are removed and replaced. These structures are bone, cartilage, and synovium.

Nerve repair is required after a nerve is injured in such a way that it will not recover on its own. Nerves are bundles of fibers that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

Nerves are the body’s “telephone wiring” system that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Some nerves carry messages from the brain to muscles to make the body move. Other nerves carry messages about pain, pressure, or temperature from the body to the brain.

Pain after an injury or surgery is common. There are many ways to manage and reduce this pain that may or may not include medication. Each patient, surgery, and surgeon are unique, and the approach to pain management is different for everyone.

Opioids are a type of pain medication made from the poppy plant. It is the same plant that is used to make opium and heroin. They are effective for treating acute or new pain after an injury or surgery.

Pseudogout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes joint inflammation due to the body depositing calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joint and soft tissues. Pseudogout is also called calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD).

Arthritis describes any condition where cartilage in the joint breaks down. Normally, a joint consists of two smooth, cartilage-covered bone surfaces that fit together as a matched set and glide against one other.

The scaphoid is one of eight small bones that make up the “carpal bones” of the wrist. It connects two rows of these bones - the proximal row (closer to the forearm) and the distal row (closer to the hand).

A ligament is a thick band of tissue that connects two bones. There are many ligaments in the wrist. When a ligament is injured, this is referred to as a sprain. A very common ligament injured in a sprained wrist is the scapholunate ligament.

Scar formation is a normal response following any injury or surgery; it is the way the body heals injured structures. Scar tissue may involve only the superficial skin, or it may involve the deeper tissues beneath the skin, including nerves and tendons.