The Procedure on my thumb/extensive info on thumbs

[andyhusky]

I'm suffering
had my cast off on wednesday after 2 weeks. i've had the stitches out then Went and had an x-ray. Everything looks good.
Still got the pin in my thumb, it comes out in 2 weeks. been put in a custom made molded plastic thumb cast now, not a fibreglass cast. not to sure about it, in more pain. it doesnt seen very stable considering i still have a pin in my thumb and had the surgery just 2 weeks ago. Any advise, help or thoughts ?
(see photo in my next post)

[andyhusky]

[Joski]

Hi Andy, sorry to hear you're suffering, I'm surprised they've taken your cast off after just 2 weeks as they normally leave it around 4-6, but it tends to depend on the type of procedure or technique used. Often when you have the pins or plates holding the joint together while it fuses, you need less casting time, as the cast is mainly just to protect the area rather than holding the bones together, like it would be for a fracture for example. As you have internal fixation, the molded brace should be enough to protect your skin and surgery site as it continues to heal, so long as you're careful and don't use your hand too much of course. If you're concerned though contact your doctor/surgeon for advice.

Try to keep your arm raised to reduce the swelling, pressure and pain, keep on top of the discomfort with painkillers and follow any instructions your doctor gave you regarding movement. It will get easier, but unfortunately fusion surgery is painful and does take time to heal. I've had several fusion surgeries done, including thumbs and wrist, and face several more in coming years too, so I can fully empathise with how painful the process is.

Take care and hang in there, it is worth it in the end honest!

[Blunderwoman]

Hi all

I hope by now that things are a bit better for both Andy and Simon.

I havent been able to keep up with things on here for a while so I thought I would just post a quick update on Hannah's thumb surgery. Its about 4 months now and she is cast and splint free on this hand. After the cast was taken off she was supposed to use a thermoplastic splint but developed an allergy to it (typical ) so she only used it for a short time and, although she doesnt have 100% use of her thumb, it is way better than it was before the surgery. The scar is taking a while to settle down though this time and has stretched a bit in length and width and is still very noticeable which she doesnt remember happening with the first hand. She has had some stars tattooed around the scars on her right hand in an effort to take attention away from them - being a 17 year old girl attending hospital a lot we have noticed that medical staff home in on the scars on her wrists and you can tell from their tone that they think the worst and now she's got the same on her other wrist as well it makes it even worse. I dont know why they cant think that someone might need the same op on both hands.

Even with the op both her thumbs bend in a really peculiar way but at least they usually stay in place now!!

She is still working on building her muscles up - they take much longer to get back than they do to disappear in the first place!!


Take care

[Joski]

Glad to hear Hannah is cast/splint free now, I know how much of a relief that is as I was in plaster cast for two years before my wrist fusion. Hmm, I developed an allergy to the thermoplastic splint too. I think the fact that it is so harsh and doesn't allow the skin to move or breath heightens the problems it causes with our already overly sensitive skin.

I'm sorry to hear that the scar is taking a while to settle down. If she's not allergic to it of course, you could try gently rubbing in some Vitamin E cream (preferably perfume free) as that can promote healing and reduce scarring. It is so distressing that people make assumptions and judgements based on her wrist scars. I know it is hard but I'm sure that you will both rise above the ignorance of others.

Anyway, I hope the scar heals well and Hannah is able to improve her movement by building up her muscles. I totally agree with you about them taking longer to regain than disappear, as three years on I still have a skinny left arm from being in the cast so long!!

Take care and please give Hannah my best wishes x

[Blunderwoman]

Hi Joski

Thanks for the reply - I will get some Vitamin E cream for Hannah to try.

With regard to muscle wasting, she has been in "moonboot" splints for her ankles only since July and I can already see where her leg muscles are wasting away and she has just now been put into plaster casts on both her legs (after an awful five hour visit to A&E where the doctors couldnt get her ankles back in joint and get them to stay in place) so I am sure they will be wasting away even more now as she's not allowed to weight bear on the casts so she cant move about even in the limited way she could before.

It's all good fun!!

Take care
Pauline

[Joski]

You're very welcome Pauline, I hope it helps.

Oh gosh, I'm sorry to hear that Hannah is in double plaster casts, again I can empathise as I've been there several times myself sadly. I also ended up wearing the "moon boot" walker for over two years before having major reconstructive surgery on my right ankle (which is holding well at present), and still wear a specially designed full length calliper on my left leg. So I can certainly understand your concerns regarding muscle wastage, as the tone goes so fast yet takes such a long time and effort to regain even a little of what is lost.

I wish I had some more advice for you, but the best I can offer is to find the combination of a good Physio, Orthotist and Orthopedic Specialist to explore the best way forward for keeping Hannah as mobile as possible. Perhaps even an inpatient rehab program might be worth looking into?

Take care and good luck,
Jo x

[andyhusky]

I Was back in hopspital yesterday, to have a check up and have my pin taken. The x-rays were good, the thumb joint is healing good. i wanted to keep it, but they wouldnt let me. it was alot longer than i excpected the pin. I didnt like it at all when it was pulled out, no anaesthetic, just looked the other way. took them alot of effort to pull it out. In a new cast now, feeling sore this morning.

[bendytwistything]

I was surprised by the length of my pins and wires. Shame they wouldnt let you keep it, i've got mine in jars

[Blunderwoman]

You're very welcome Pauline, I hope it helps.

Oh gosh, I'm sorry to hear that Hannah is in double plaster casts, again I can empathise as I've been there several times myself sadly. I also ended up wearing the "moon boot" walker for over two years before having major reconstructive surgery on my right ankle (which is holding well at present), and still wear a specially designed full length calliper on my left leg. So I can certainly understand your concerns regarding muscle wastage, as the tone goes so fast yet takes such a long time and effort to regain even a little of what is lost.

I wish I had some more advice for you, but the best I can offer is to find the combination of a good Physio, Orthotist and Orthopedic Specialist to explore the best way forward for keeping Hannah as mobile as possible. Perhaps even an inpatient rehab program might be worth looking into?

Take care and good luck,
Jo x

Hi Jo

Thanks for the reply. We went to the hospital on friday for Hannah's ankles and it would seem that it could be muscle spasms that are pulling her feet "out" so we are having to see a neurologist. In the meantime she has lightweight casts on both legs as her ankles are pulled out even when she was in "moonboots" - she has been in those since July.

Regarding your last paragraph we dont have much luck as the physio we saw a couple of weeks ago wont do anything, we cant now go to the Orthotist in November because Hannah is in plaster and the in-patient assessment she had at UCH back in March was a complete waste of time as when we went back for the results we were told that as all the staff who carried out the assessment had since left no-one seems to know anything about it - typical!

Never mind

Take care

[shen]

Hey guys,

just some quick questions, i hurt my hand (again) the other day and ended up in casualty, the doctor there knew about HMS and was playing with my thumbs, and said that they wont stay in place, they are in a constant subluxed position, my right is worse than my left, he pushed it into place, let go and it fell out again, he did this 5 or 6 times, it doesnt hurt much but i do have more pain regularly in my hand and thumb on this hand. My left thumb is a little better but still very loose, as i dont use this hand as much i dont feel much pain in it at all. The doctor asked when my next appointment with Prof B is, its supposed to be next month, but i think hes behind with his lists by a few months, he replied that its too long to wait and asked me to come back to trauma clinic on wednesday to see the ortheapeadic consultant there to have it examined properly. he strapped it up for now with a splint for scaphoid fractures, so the thumb is held in place a little more. I'm slightly worried that he's so concerned about it, and wants me seen so quickly... what are other peoples experiences with this? im scared its going to mean surgery as from reading here its a long time in casts and splints! and with just starting uni thats going to cause some inconveniences!

[Blunderwoman]

Hi
I have only just seen this post and I suppose by now that you would have been to the clinic - how did you get on? I am only guessing but maybe the doctor is concerned that while your joints are "out" it could be stretching your tendons etc? My daughter had her thumbs done because they too wouldnt stay in place but it did affect her considerably and although the surgery was a pain, it had made a big difference to her but if you can live with it and it is not doing damage perhaps you can leave it for a while.

One thing - it sounds lovely to hear of a doctor that is concerned and wants to do something - make the most of him as they are very rare!!
Take care

[andyhusky]

My thumb is doing well after surgery, must be around 6 weeks ago since i had it done. was back in work after 4 weeks, couldnt do much cos my hand was in a cast as shown in my earlier posts. The last week i've been out of my cast AT LAST ! was still very swollen & bruised, still is alittle now. slowly had to get the thumb moving again, not as easy as i thought it would be, been doing slight movements.
Had my first hand therapy on tuesday, now that wasnt fun. i was excepted it to be just light exercises, it wasnt, mostly bending my thumb forward and back and holding it in position for 30secs. After nearly an hour of that my thumb was sore, yet felt good because i could see improvement. Back there in a week or so for more. I'm trying to get back to using my thumb for everyday needs, still not able to squeeze bottles too well, but i'm getting there.
Now i have one thumb that is stable and wont bend back on its self or pop out of joint all the time & the other that does.
Will see how i recover from this operation on my right thumb before deciding whether to have my left thumb done.

If anyone wants to see pictures of the casts, post surgery pictures & how my left @ right thumb compair, just search for me on facebook & i'll add you as a friend

Andrew Huskinson

[andyhusky]

Finally no more hospital trips, sept 22nd was around the time i had my thumb operated on. so its healed alot better than i expected, the physio has worked well. not in again till another 6 months!

[hannah]

Good news Andy!
I hope the good effect last for a long long time