See Your Hand Open, Painlessly, And In Real Time
Doctors at this year’s Plastic Surgery convention of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons have introduced a way for a person suffering from hand fractures and other problems to view his or her actual operation in real time… painlessly. If you still can’t picture the scenario, think about it this way: your surgeon opens up your hand to do tendon and bone surgery while you stay awake and sane enough to chat with him while he’s at it.
The Advantage of the Wide-Awake Hand Surgery Method
According to ASPS member and subject presenter Dr. Donald Lalonde, while the concept of having the patient awake while a surgery is being performed on him is quite alien (and could even seem absurd for some), the “ability to speak and move an appendage… provides better outcomes…” What’s more, the entire procedure is absolutely pain free!
Usual hand surgeries are performed starting with a tourniquet on the area. This time, the need for the tourniquet, which is rather restrictive, is eliminated, so the patient can freely move his fingers and hands and the surgeon can make immediate adjustments and repais before the skin is finally closed.
Experts say this method considerably reduces the need for repeat surgeries because the problem is addresed and fixed right then and there. In addition, patients are given only a local anesthetic to quell the pain, as opposed to the general anesthetic usually administered (which has a number of side effects, like vomiting).
Hundreds Of Thousands Served… And Counting
So far, since the wide-awake procedure has been applied and adopted, 156,000 successful hand surgeries have been performed, ASPS figures say. Among the surgeries covered by the wide-awake method are carpal tunnel, trigger finger release, fracture repais, and tendon and nerve problems.
Of course, each patient responds differently to the same procedure. And while the wide-awake approach has worked beautifully for thousands, a discusion with an anesthesiologist is still crucial prior to this type of surgery. Nevertheless, awe at the fact that painless surgery can be done while the subject is wide awake remains. Who knows, as this works on the hand now, it might also eventually work for other types of surgical procedures. The medical field, after all, is in a continuously advancing state every single day.
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