Hand and Wrist (including finger injuries)

This condition is treated in the Plastics clinic.

Pre-referral work-up

History

Refer to clinic:

• Hand  and wrist fractures
• Soft tissue injuries of the hand and forearm
• Wrist injuries
• Acute fingertip injuries
• Congenital hand deformities
• Secondary hand surgery after injury
• Stenosing tenosynovitis
• Carpal tunnel and other nerve compression syndromes
• Nerve palsies
• Rheumatoid hand deformities
• Dupuytren's contracture
• Soft tissue tumours of the hand

 All referrals should comply to the referral standards.

Patients who are referred to the Royal Hobart Hospital Plastics Clinic with the following conditions will benefit by being referred to physiotherapy while they are on the waiting list for their appointment with a surgeon.

• Trigger finger
• OA CMC joint of thumb
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

More information about: Physiotherapy Fast Track

Tests

• X ray where appropriate
• Nerve conduction studies where nerve compression suspected
• USS of lesion, where appropriate
• Consider CT/MRI

Interim/GP management

To refer a patient with this condition, please see the Plastics clinic page for the full referral process and templates.

• Splint application where appropriate
• Antibiotics where appropriate
• Analgaesia where appropriate
• Referral to a Hand Physiotherapist is available at this clinic

For more information please see the HealthPathways Tasmania website.

Clinic appointments

? Red location flags are clinical indicators of possible serious underlying conditions requiring further medical intervention. They may or may not indicate an emergency.

Emergency

? Patients requiring immediate surgical intervention should be referred to the Emergency Department or discussed with the Plastics Registrar

If you, or someone else, are experiencing a serious and life-threatening injury or illness call triple zero (000) immediately or go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Learn more about when to access emergency care and non-emergency care options if the injury or illness is not serious or life-threatening.

Availability

North

Launceston General Hospital
Level 3 - Specialist Clinics

Phone: 1300 977 694
Fax: 03 6777 5227

North West

Refer to General Surgery

South

Liverpool Clinics (Level 7)
Phone: 03 6166 0000
Fax: 03 6234 9941