Total Wrist Fusion

[Phill614]

well today is the big day, it's 10:50am central time and i have to be at the surgery center by 1pm.  Today i'm having a total fusion of my dominate left hand, i have looked at all options and this is in my best option if i want to get on with my life as normal as possible if that makes any sense.  I've had three operations on my left hand apr 30, 2008, feb. 13 2009 and june 6 2009.  the orginal problem for the first surgery was a small tear in the TFCC ligament, that it.  i had extensive physical therapy after each surgery with only temporary relief and sometimes no relief of pain.  I went through the process to change doctors through workers comp. which went ok.  My new doctor reviewed my previous records and more checks and test and we (Doc. and I)  determined the best option due to the type of work i do and the very active life style i have is to have a TOTAL WRIST FUSION.  I plan keep everyone updated as often as possible, i want others to know what i'm going through and hopefully inform them what they will be going through.  Oh by the way the reason for the total wirist fusion is my cartlidge is totally destroyed, i have a legal matter going on so i can't mention the cause of the destroyed cartlidge.  Talk to ya'll later  Phill

[mdbinTampa]

I had my scaphoid bone removed and a 4 corner fusion June 4th 2013. Stitches are removed and wearing a splint. my question is Is it normal that my fingers and knuckles are still very swollen. ice provides temp relief but my fingers feel tingly and impossible to bend.

[Phill614]

modeldat, I also cannot lift weights anymore because my total fusion won't permit the weight on my hand or wrist without causing pain. There's plenty of things I can't do anymore.  I am only an airline mechanic and there's no way I could tell you when you should get a fusion nor would I recommend to you or anyone to get a fusion.  I'm sorry I had to put it that way but going through the whole fusion process is traumatic and life changing it has to be a last resort.  If your only having mild pain and can live with it by all means don't jump to have a surgery because there's no guarantee the fusion will do what you expect (to be pain free).  You have to make the decision to make changes what you can do and what you should not do that can cause more pain and damage to your wrist.  Keep us informed to you progress. regards Phill

[modeldat]

Hi Mate. Iv had Kienbock's for about 13 years and can move it around fine and do everything as normal. it hurts a little here and there but it dont bother me. The little bone has now crumbled and i really cant tell. The wrist does have a little amount of arthritis but its very minor. In the past 13 years i have used the wrist very hard, doing weight training and allsorts. When would you recommend me to get a total wrist fusion. I cant really do weights anymore which i really want to do hence the reason i would like the wrist fused.

[MaryS54]

Hi All,

I took a terrible fall December 10, 2012 and severely broke my left (non-dominant) wrist.  Had surgery on 12/18 to insert plate and 13 screws.  Unfortunately, due to the severity of the break, many of the small joints have/are disintegrating and, while the break healed, I have been in extreme pain for the last couple of months.  Each x-ray looks a bit worse than the prior one.  I have spent some time just living with the pain and wearing a wrist guard and have decided that I will have a total wrist fusion, rather than living with the pain.  While I wish I did not have to lose the mobility of my wrist, the truth is, I've already lost the mobility due to the pain.  I use my left wrist less and less as it is.  Hell, it even hurts to put deodorant on.  I am a 58-year woman.  I am a paralegal and do a lot of typing, but as the doctor has mentioned and I've read on this site, typing should not be a problem.  I am planning on 6 weeks off work -- does that sound reasonble?  I only took a week off after my surgery in December and, while I'm not certain of it, I wonder if I attempted too much, too soon and ended up causing some of the problems I am experiencing now.  Anyway, I am planning surgery for just after the 4th of July.  I had been planning on having air conditioning installed this summer anyway, but will have it installed sooner rather than later:-)  Having been born and raised in Seattle and still living here, I cannot tolerate temps in the mid-80's and higher -- my northern blood must be too thick or something.  Thanks Phil for starting this community and to everybody who posts to it.  I will become a regular, I am sure.  

[gsal]

Good Morning Phil. Sorry to hear of your situation. My surgery was on February 25 and other than the initial pain, constipation and stiff fingers at the beginning, so far so good. I had a series last weekend and my hand swelled like a balloon. I was tending to overwork the hand as it was feeling better. A trip to the doctor on Friday and all is healing as expected. I am only told to pick up a bottle of water, weight wise, for another 6 weeks. Doing my own therapy and have good movement in my fingers. Staring wrist turning exercises now and that is tough. My doctor out of Penn in Philadelphia has een excellent, takes all of the time you want each visit and called me right back when I called on Monday about the swelling in my hand. How do they do an MRI with the plate in your hand? I have x-rays from each visit and will try to post pictures tonight for all to see. Could the pain in the palm be from the screw's tips which come through? Looking at my x-rays, I wonder if that will be a future issue when gripping hard or leaning on the palm. Can you see another doctor for a second opinion? Such a shame when a doctor forgets their oath.
Hang in there and good luck.

[Phill614]

Hi Grant, well i've just sat here for several minutes thinking what to say or how to answer your question i just received.  I'm now a few years post op and I'm working at my same avaition mechanic job.  The past few weeks I've been experencing some pain to my left hand (with pressure applied to the palm) and some at the top of the hand.  I think some of the smaller bones that were supposed to be fused never took (fused) or now becoming a problem, at this point i dare not go back to the doctor.  The pain I was expierencing before my fusion is completly gone and nothing like I have now.  The hand doctor (Dr.Mark Henry) that did my surgery i have lost all confidence and respect.  I have come to believe once this big shot doctor does his surgery they just have to go through the motions to treat you post op because they've made their big money.  When I complained about the pain I was expierencing in my wrist and hand he told me "the pain will end when i quit thinking about it" I told him what kind of crap is that. He said it was all in my head and that i will always have pain in the wrist.  I requested to have a MRI and he wouldn't think of it because of the cost, I told him what the hell do you care about the cost.  Grant, I'm just venting right now because my hand aches.  I suggest you don't do anything for a few months that may disrupt the healing process to ensure the fusion takes, give it time.  I'll try to have a better attitude in my next post.  take care  Phill