Hand and Wrist

Our wrist and hand rotation will provide you with in-depth knowledge about the pathophysiology of conditions including:

• wrist instability 
• distal radioulnar joint instability
• ulnocarpal impaction
• rheumatoid arthritis 
• scapholunate advanced collapse and scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse
• carpal tunnel syndrome 
• peripheral nerve compression

You can expect to develop your ability to take patient histories and keep accurate documentation. Our training ensures that you will be prepared to conduct physical examinations with careful attention to:

• anatomical landmarks 
• peripheral nerves 
• instability signs in the wrist, including scapholunate and midcarpal
• digits, specifically collateral ligaments 

While gaining experience in the emergency room, you’ll become familiar with:

• the administration of analgesics for adult and pediatric patients
• closed reduction techniques
• splint and cast immobilization

You will see patients with a range of conditions and injuries, giving you the opportunity to acquaint yourself with open hand injuries such as tip amputation, extensor tendon injuries and nail bed injuries. 

Additionally, we’ll train you to accomplish blocks of the median, ulnar and radial nerves and digital blocks.

We’ll instruct you in tendon and vascular evaluation during physical examinations. Our training will prepare you to articulate common approaches used in wrist and hand surgery and apply these approaches while treating shoulder and elbow disorders.

You’ll develop skills to treat patients in areas including: 

• reduction techniques and maintenance options for fractures and dislocation
• arthroplasty, fusion and osteotomy for arthritis
• tendon repair and reconstruction
• nerve repair and reconstruction as well as tendon transfers

Our faculty will guide you through approaches for the forearm, wrist and hand. You’ll learn:

• the anterior (Henry) approach and dorsal (Thompson) approach
• arthroscopy portal placement, approaches for carpal tunnel, the dorsal approach and the Russe approach in the wrist
• the Brunner incision, Wagner approach, midlateral and posterior approaches

• Third-year residents: 10 weeks

The patients you see may have:

• common wrist and hand disorders
• congenital hand disorders 
• injuries requiring emergency and surgical care

You’ll spend most of your time gaining experience at one of our main training sites: