{"id":1006,"date":"2021-06-16T01:27:45","date_gmt":"2021-06-16T01:27:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msapc.managed3.brouser.net\/hand-center\/?page_id=1006"},"modified":"2021-12-30T16:16:50","modified_gmt":"2021-12-30T16:16:50","slug":"ucl-repair-of-the-thumb","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/msapc.com\/hand-center\/aftercare\/ucl-repair-of-the-thumb\/","title":{"rendered":"UCL Repair of the Thumb"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul>\n<li>Do not remove your post-operative dressings\/splint.\u00a0 Keep your dressings\/splint clean and dry.\u00a0 Cover your dressings\/splint with a plastic bag for bathing.<\/li>\n<li>Your dressings will be removed during your first post-operative visit or during your first occupational therapy visit.\u00a0 These visits are scheduled during the scheduling of your surgery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Pain Medication<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>You may use Tylenol (acetaminophen). <strong>DO NOT EXCEED<\/strong> 3000 mg of Tylenol in 24 hours.<\/li>\n<li>You may also alternate ibuprofen (NSAID\u2019s) with Tylenol to supplement pain control.<\/li>\n<li>It is recommended to use narcotics <strong>ONLY<\/strong> as needed (and directed) for additional pain control. Take it with food to prevent nausea.\u00a0 Extended use of narcotics can lead to dependency\/addiction and cause severe constipation and GI complications.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Activity<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Please keep the area elevated as much as possible for at least the first 5 days or until the swelling improves.\u00a0 You are using gravity to help assist fluid movement out of the area.<\/li>\n<li>Please refrain from full-body exercises or activities that increased blood pressure and heart rate to prevent increased bleeding from the wound.<\/li>\n<li>You are encouraged to move your fingers while in the post-operative\/OT splint, and only the tip of your thumb.\u00a0 Moving the fingers helps assist in fluid movement of the surgical area preventing joint stiffness, pain and loss of function.<\/li>\n<li>You will be instructed to <strong>NOT<\/strong> use your hand for any work or self-care tasks for about 6-8 weeks depending on the type of work you are returning to.\u00a0 Too much activity too soon may alter the integrity of the anchor used to stabilize your thumb joint.<\/li>\n<li><strong>NO DRIVING<\/strong> while under the influence of narcotic pain medication.<\/li>\n<li><strong>NO SMOKING.<\/strong>\u00a0 Smoking interferes with circulation and wound healing and may cause serious complications such as wound infections.\u00a0 It is in your best interest to refrain from smoking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>First Post-op Visit<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Often 8-10 days post-op unless directed otherwise.\u00a0 This visit is scheduled during the scheduling of your surgery.<\/li>\n<li>Your first Occupational Therapy visit is often scheduled just before or after your first post-operative visit.\u00a0 Therapy will transition you into a removable thumb-spica splint for about 6-8 weeks.<\/li>\n<li>Sutures are often removed between 8-14 days depending on the extent of the wound and your past medical history.\u00a0 Uncontrolled blood sugar (diabetes), smoking, certain medically conditions and some medications can delay healing.\u00a0 Sutures are left in longer in situations of possible delayed healing and you may be directed to return at a later date for suture removal.<\/li>\n<li>You will be directed on continued wound care.\u00a0 At this time, showers are often permitted out of the splint and uncovered.\u00a0 <strong>DO NOT SUBMERGE<\/strong> the wound until fully healed.\u00a0 No bathtubs, hot tubs, pools, and\/or dish water.\u00a0 This type of environment is often unsanitary and can lead to possible infection.<\/li>\n<li>Scar Tissue Massage\n<ul>\n<li>Post-operative wounds\/incisions heal with scar tissue.\u00a0 The network of fibers that make up scar tissue changes and improves over time.\u00a0 Massaging a healing wound causes the fibers to align themselves to the directional stress you apply making the skin more pliable like normal skin.\u00a0 This action also desensitizes the wound.\u00a0 The best way to see it is to \u201cmove the tissue around and over the scar in all directions like kneading dough.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Occupational Therapy will guide you through this process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Time-frame for post-operative recovery\n<ul>\n<li>Everyone recovers from surgery at their own pace.\u00a0 You can anticipate a return to activities \u201cas tolerated\u201d without restrictions 2-3 months following surgery.<\/li>\n<li>Returning to activities as tolerated without restrictions does not mean there is an expectation you will be pain\/symptom free.\u00a0 The hand will need time to develop muscular endurance as you expose it to increasing activity much the same way an athlete develops endurance to run 10 miles.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Your post-operative pain, swelling, range of motion and overall function will depend on how proactive\/compliant you are with your post-operative care, activity modifications\/restrictions, therapy and home exercise program.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>When to Call?<\/h3>\n<p>Please call the office if you have any questions or concerns regarding your post-operative care.\u00a0 If any of these symptoms are present please call:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Persistent fever greater than 101.5 \u00b0F or 38.5 \u00b0C<\/li>\n<li>Increasing pain or swelling not controlled with medications<\/li>\n<li>Excessive drainage or bleeding on the bandage<\/li>\n<li>Chest pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting<\/li>\n<li>Cold fingers, or painful fingers that are not normal in color<\/li>\n<li>Increasing redness beginning 7 days after surgery<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do not remove your post-operative dressings\/splint.\u00a0 Keep your dressings\/splint clean and dry.\u00a0 Cover your dressings\/splint with a plastic bag for bathing. Your dressings will be removed during your first post-operative visit or during your first occupational therapy visit.\u00a0 These visits are scheduled during the scheduling of your surgery. Pain Medication You may use Tylenol (acetaminophen)&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":983,"menu_order":11,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1006","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UCL Repair of the Thumb - MSA Hand Center<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/msapc.com\/hand-center\/aftercare\/ucl-repair-of-the-thumb\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UCL Repair of the Thumb - MSA Hand Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do not remove your post-operative dressings\/splint.\u00a0 Keep your dressings\/splint clean and dry.\u00a0 Cover your dressings\/splint with a plastic bag for bathing. 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